Break Me One More Time [McLennon]

in which john is wasted

A few days later, on July fifteenth, Paul woke up early (before the sun had even begun to rise) and found that John wasn't on his mattress. "Of course," Paul sighed. He leapt out of bed and ran from the room. "John!"

John was curled up in his chair with a bottle of beer in hand.
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"Johnny," Paul frowned.

"Hey, Paul," John laughed.

"John, you're drunk," Paul said.

"Pfffft," John giggled. "No, I'm not!"

"John," Paul said and reached for his beer, but John yanked it away. "John, come on. I'll help you back into bed. You're drunk, John. You need to go back to sleep."

"I don't want to!" John exclaimed, suddenly angry.

"Johnny, come on," Paul sighed and sunk into the chair across from him.

"I want to talk," John said stubbornly and took a swig of beer.

"Alright, alright," Paul gave in with a heavy sigh. "Okay, what do you want to talk about?"

John grinned. "I have a secret,"

"Okay, what is it?" Paul asked.

"Well, if I told you then it wouldn't be a secret anymore, now, would it?!" John laughed. "Silly boy..."

"Well, you're the one who wanted to talk to me," Paul shook his head but he couldn't help the affectionate smile that spread across his face. "So, are you going to tell me this secret of yours or what? I'm hanging on the edge of my seat here."

"You make a good point," John nodded firmly. "So I'll tell you. Alright, are you ready to hear my secret?"

"Yes," Paul laughed with mock impatience.

"Okay," John said and grinned excitedly. "I'm in love!"

Paul's heart stopped. "Wh-what?"

"I'm in love!" John exclaimed. "I've found my soulmate, I'm sure of it! I've fallen in love, Paulie! Love, love, love!"

"Who - who - who are you in love with?" Paul stammered and his brow broke out in sweats.

"I can't tell you that," John shook his head, still giddy.

Paul drew a shaky breath. "O-okay, Johnny, it's time for you to go to bed now. Come on."

John sighed, but he put his beer bottle down on the floor where, Paul now saw, five other beer bottles sat. He stood and leaned heavily on Paul.

"Let's go," Paul said. He half-led, half-carried John to the bedroom and then, supporting his head, he eased his friend down into the mattress. He pulled the covers up to John's chin and tucked him in. "Okay, John. Now get some rest, yeah?" He looked down to see that tears were now forming in John's eyes.

"I miss her," he frowned. "I was just getting to know her and she was fucking run over."

"I know, John," Paul sighed.

"Three years," John shook his head. "It feels like just yesterday I was hunting her down and spending the day with her in Blackpool."

"I know, I know," Paul frowned. "I...I miss my mum, too. Just sleep right now, okay?"

John sighed, then nodded, and finally he closed his eyes.

Paul hurried out to the kitchen. "Barney!" He growled. "Barney!" But nothing happened. "Barney!!"

Nothing.

Paul decided that the next time he saw Barney, he'd have to talk to him about getting a way to call him.

~~~

John was better the following day. He slept and drank beer all through the fifteenth (though Paul tried continuously to stop him from drinking so much beer), but when he woke up on the sixteenth of July he was fine. Just about back to normal, in fact, aside from being pretty hungover. It was like this every year, Paul recalled. He's always a mess on the fifteenth, and then he's fine.

"Ugh, my head is pounding," John rubbed his temples as he walked into the kitchen in the morning. "Why is everything so damn loud?"

Paul laughed. "Here, I made coffee instead of tea. It helps." He handed John a cup of coffee.

John sipped it and made a face. "It's bitter,"

"It's coffee," Paul laughed again and nodded.

"Ugh," John frowned. "Tea is much better."

Paul smiled. "Yeah, it is."

"Man, I must have been hammered," John said as he took small sips of his coffee. "I didn't do anything embarrassing, did I?"

Paul looked at him...

"I'm in love!" John exclaimed. "I've found my soulmate, I'm sure of it! I've fallen in love, Paulie! Love, love, love!"

He shook his head. "No, you didn't do anything embarrassing," Paul said.

"Good," John nodded. "Right, well, I'm going to go and have a shower. We're performing tonight, but not until eleven. We have the late show tonight."

"Okay," Paul nodded and John went off to take his shower. Paul sighed heavily.

Love, love, love. Love, love, love. Love, love, love.

It rang in his head.

He couldn't be in love with John Lennon. He could never be in love with John Lennon.

~~~

"Hey, Paulie,"

Paul looked at Barney with a beyond annoyed looked. "And where the hell have you been?"

"I know, and I'm really sorry, Paul. I've been so busy," Barney apologized, his eyes twinkling charmingly. "I hope things haven't been too bad without me here." He stuck out his bottom lip for good measure.

Paul narrowed his eyes. "Things have been bloody horrible! John got drunk yesterday and he was a mess and he said that's he's in love!"

"Did he?" Barney did his best to look uninterested.

"BARNEY!!" Paul shouted angrily. "This is a big deal! This is bad! Is this what he realized in Hamburg?"

"I've told you already, Paul," Barney shook his head. "My lips are sealed. I should go now. Lots of work to get to today!"

"Bar- "

But he was already gone.

~~~

A/N: I'm gonna post everyday for a few more days and then I'm gonna go back to updating every few days ;)