I saw some other fanfics have done a "Q&A with the characters" type scenario, and was wondering if that was something you guys would enjoy. If so I'd be happy to receive some questions or alternate suggestions. It'd be neat to get your guys' opinions and thoughts on my story :)

-Johns POV-

I take the pills out of Lafayette's hand, swallowing them with my water. It's been 12 days since we went to the park, 10 since I started taking antidepressants.

Herc created a schedule, and Lafayette has been on my tail about me taking them on time.

I told Laff they weren't working, I didn't feel any different. He didn't budge though, stubborn as an ox. I'm glad he didn't let me stop, the past three nights I have slept all the way through, something I haven't done for at least a year. The voice in my head is less insistent, I think about suicide less and less.

Between the medication and therapy, I'm feeling better. But everything still feels so hard. I've been pushing myself to be open with my problems, and Herc seems excited when I ask him for things. I caught Laff sitting outside my room as I played guitar yesterday, and he sang along with me, crying.

I'm allowed to stay in my own room at nights again, but other than that everything is still as strict as before. My spoon is upgraded to a plastic spork, and I'm allowed to shower with the door closed.

And then there's Alex. When I spend time with him, I feel wanted. I know now that Herc and Laff care, they do want me here, but Alex and I have a special bond. We text each other late into the night, as I try to persuade him to get to bed. I have a date with him tonight, thankfully it's at his house this time.

"You feeling ready for tonight, John?"

"Yeah, I think so. Are you still sure you're okay to drive?"

"It's me or Laff, take your pick."

"Momvan it is."

Laff gives me a pouty face, and I stick out my tongue.

"Fine. You choose Herc to drive, I become the make up artist."

"I don't know which is scarier, you trying to merge, or you coming at my face with a mascara brush."

Lafayette drags me to my bedroom and I plop down on the bed as he flips through my closet. He throws a pair of black ripped skinny jeans and a black and white checkered flannel in my direction. I scoop them up before I run to the bathroom. By the time I'm into my new outfit, Lafayette has covered the bed in make up. I'm screwed.

"Come sit, mon ami." He sits criss cross among his torture devices, and I reluctantly sit in front of him. He pulls me onto his lap, examining my face as he tips it to different angles. I don't know what powders all cover my face, but when Laff shows me a mirror I am disappointed for the amount of work that he put in.

"You forgot to cover my freckles."

"I didn't forget! The freckles stay, they're cute. And I'm still not done yet."

"I was afraid you'd say that."

I close my eyes as he continues to attack my face, trying my best not to flinch as he draws a line across my eyelids, and I feel his signature wing tips jutting out to the side.

"You have such long lashes, mon ami, I think we can skip mascara. But we'll need this."

He pulls out a small clamp, squeezing it against my eyelids one at a time. I pop up to leave, but before I can reach the door I am picked up and placed on the floor.

"Nuh-uh, we need to brush out that hair of yours."

"I'm gonna be late."

"We have a half hour before you need to head over, I work quickly and efficiently. Give me ten more minutes of your precious  time."

I lean back with a huff as Laff pulls out my hair tie and begins coming through my hair, bottom to top. He is careful, detangling each knot he comes across with his fingers. He pulls a few locks of my hair to the front, the rest is pulled up into a bun. He pulls me too my feet, and I am spun around to face him.

"Mon beau garçon."

I grab my bracelet from my desk and throw some food in my turtle tank before running out the door, away from Lafayette. 

'Help me' I mouth at Herc, who smiles and shakes his head in response.

"Wow, John, would you look at the time. We better get in the car."

I pull on my black vans, calling out a good bye to Laff as I head out the door.

Herc unlocks the vehicle, and I hop into the passenger seat.

"You have your phone?"

"Check!"

"Battery?"

"72!"

"Charger?"

"Yes, Herc!"

"Just making sure."

We make our way down the road, it's not too far from here. I bounce in my seat the whole way, giddy with excitement. 

"Thanks for the ride Herc!"

"Just text me when you want me to come get you. If you don't, I'm sending Laff and the motorcycle."

"Fine, mom." I tease as I hop out the door.

"Have fun, John. And be safe." 

I run behind the van, up to Alex's door. I don't even have a chance to knock before it swings open. I lunge myself at Alexander, wrapping my arms around him as he stumbles back. He squeezes me back, resting his head on my shoulder.

"It's been so long since I've been hugged like this. So long since I've been hugged at all."

"Are you okay with it?"

"Only if you promise not to stop."

I kick the door shut with my foot, picking up the man in front of me. I make our way to the living room, Alex is surprisingly light in my arms.

I hold him in my arms like a baby as I turn on his tv.

"What do you want to watch?"

"I don't care, you pick something."

I flip on Titanic, but it's more background noise than anything.

"You live alone?"

"Yeah. For the past 3 years I've been a lone wolf, a host unto myself."

"What happened to your family?"

Alex shudders, and I slip him off of my lap and onto the cushion beside me.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"I trust you, John, but it's hard. They're gone, all of them." Tears flow from his cheeks, and I scoot in closer to him.

"My dad, he never loved me. After I was born he distanced himself from my mom, from my family. By ten he had enough, he took off in the middle of the night. I never saw him again.

My mom and I- we got sick. She held me close, she told me she loved me. I held her hand as I fell asleep at her side. She- she never woke up.

My brother drowned. We were in the middle of a storm, the water rising until it pulled us both under. I was saved, he was not. His body showed up two days later when the water receded.

Peter, my cousin, my best friend, we got in a fight. That night was a blur, and  we both said things we shouldn't have. Money was tight and meds were expensive. He stopped taking his, I continued with mine.  The last thing I ever said to him, before he committed, was 'go then, I don't need you.' He was all I had left, and he killed himself thinking I didn't want him. But I do need him, John. I want him back."

The small boy clings to my chest, and I pull him closer as he cries into me.

"There's no replacing what you've lost, and you'll need time. But you're not alone anymore. You saved my life, and I want to spend as much of it as I can with you. Please, let me help you like you helped me."

He feebly nods his head yes, and I rub my hand up and down his back as his breathing begins to normalize. I don't know how long we sit there, holding on to each other as Alex finishes crying. I bite the inside of my lip as he looks back up at me. Our foreheads press together, and I wish there was some way I could take away his pain.

"I suppose it's my turn to give you my life story then."

We lay there on the couch together, his head resting on my chest. My arms are wrapped around his torso, and I fidget with the seam of his shirt.

"Lauren's, I like you a lot."

"Me too Lexi."

"Lexi, I like that." I readjust, unsticking my neck from the vinyl couch. 

"Is it just me, or is it getting hot in here?"

"I, um, I don't have air conditioning, but I can go open a window. If you want."

Alex pops up, and while he is turned away I undo the top button of my shirt.

"Hopefully a breeze will come through and- oh, okay." I watch as he shifts his weight from side to side, looking at my chest.

"Are you okay with this?"

"More than." 

"Then can I spend tonight with you? As a sleepover?"

"Of course."

I grab my phone, sending a quick text out to Herc letting him know I don't plan on coming home, the last thing I need is Lafayette kicking in the door while we sit on the couch.

I pull Alex back on top of me, he looks both nervous and excited at the same time. 

"You look so hot. In more ways than one."

"Well, if there's no AC, I guess we'll need to cool down some other way."

"May I?"

"You may."

His hands fiddle with my buttons, and one by one they come loose until Alex is lying on my bare chest. I pull off my sleeves before I find myself running one hand through his hair, the other placed on his lower back.

"I could get used to this."

I find myself once again flipping at the edge of his shirt, desperate to yank it off.

"Are you comfortable with losing this?"

He takes in a deep breath, glancing off to the side.

"I guess."

"You can keep it on if you want, I don't want to pressure you. I know what that's like, you have to want this."

"I do, but I've never shown anyone my, um-" he tugs at the cuffs of his shirt, squeezing at his wrists.

"I promise I won't judge, I have them too."

With that he nods his head, and I slip a hand beneath his shirt.

"Take it off." 

I oblige, pulling the long sleeve over his head and tossing it onto the table.

I look at his forearms, every inch is covered in lines. One by one I trace each scar with my finger tips until I have made my way up to the last one. I let my hands make their way to his face, and lightly I caress his cheek, tucking a stray lock of hair back behind his ear. 

"Kiss me, please."

I pull his neck down to where I lay, sinking into the kiss. Our eyes both close as we pull each other closer, grip each other tighter. His hands wrap around my back, and I take a breath before pressing against him once again. 

The two of us have both been broken, told we weren't wanted. And as I kiss Alex I feel amazing, my only worry is keeping him close.

If this kiss makes me a disgusting freak, I don't want to be 'normal'. 

-Herc's POV-

"John just texted, he said he's staying the night."

"Then I guess we better make the most out of our time alone." Laff gives me a mischievous smirk, and I grin up at him.

"You mean..."

"Of course, mon fleur."

"Ya know Laff, when you said you wanted to spend some quality alone time with your boyfriend, I didn't think we'd be playing MarioKart."

"You're just mad I sniped you with a blue shell."

"Okay, maybe that's part of the reason. But I was hoping we could cuddle, like we used to."

I watch him pause the game before setting the controller to the side. 

"Come here, ya big suck."

I eagerly hop into his lap, straddling his torso.

He leans in, and I meet him halfway, disappointed when I receive a kiss in the nose. I pull back, looking into his eyes.

"Do you want me?"

"Of course I do, Herc, but it's been so long since we've done this, and I want to savour every moment. It's not exactly comfortable kissing you like that when John sits in the other room."

"As long as you want this," I grab onto Laff's collar, pulling us close. 

Our lips smash together, and I feel him grab onto my lower back. I pull the elastic from his hair, running my fingers through his afro. 

I don't stop holding him when he stands up, carrying me on his front. I am set down onto the countertop, Laff's gentle hands holding my face to his. Our lips separate, his head pulling away. 

"Mon amour, are you okay?"

I nod my head eagerly, I don't want it to stop.

"As long as I have you, I'll be perfect."

He pulls me off of the counter, wrapping an arm around me as we make our way out of the kitchen.

And that night, as I lie in bed with Lafayette's arms wrapped around my lower back, I couldn't be better. No matter how many times we kiss, I still can't get over the fact that he chose me as his boyfriend. 

"Herc?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"My arms falling asleep."

2341 words, I'm satisfied. Never actually wrote anything like this before, nor have I ever dated anyone, so if anything is inaccurate it's because I have no social life.