His world was coming down around him.
Alex, that was.
He was out of a job and living with his best friend, his relationship fell out a few weeks back and honestly everything was hell right now.
Everything.
The worst part? John worked there, too.
But he was promoted.
They celebrated that night with champagne and wine and, okay, maybe a little vodka, and got a bit carried away but didn't give a damn because it was the weekend and sex, cuddles and netflix cure hangovers, don't they?
Now, though, Alex was stuck with Jack, and it wasn't awful, really, except he missed John so, so fucking bad.
"You're spaced out again, Alex." Jack noted, cooking their breakfast for the first time since Alex decided to basically move in. Alex had been cooking breakfast every morning as a small 'thank you' to Jack for letting him stay, but today was just.. He had a lot on his mind. "What's up?"
Alex sighed, "Nothing."
"You know, i've known you since middle school. You can't exactly lie to me, now." Jack plated up some bacon and pancakes for Alex, sliding the plate over to him.
"Try me." Alex scoffed, accepting the plate and pouring maple syrup over his pancakes. "I've just been thinking a lot about John recently. I just.. Where'd I go wrong?"
"You didn't," Jack sat across from him with his own plate. "Things just weren't working out at the time. Maybe he'll come back."
"Don't give me false hopes like that." Alex suddenly wasn't hungry. "I'm gonna go shower."
Jack didn't ask questions. Didn't ask him to come back, sit down, talk it out. Nothing. He knew that when Alex got bad, he needed to sort it out himself.
Three taps on the front door got Jack out of his seat, though, and when he opened it he nearly shut it again.
"What do you want?" Jack leaned against the frame of the door, arms crossed.
"I wanna see Alex. Is he home?" John looked good, like he got dressed up just for this.
"Give me a few minutes." Jack shut the door, heading down the hall to Alex's room. Tap tap tap. "Alex, are you decent?"
"Depends on what you define as decent. Come in." Alex was laid on his bed, procrastinating his shower.
"Hey, can you go get the door for me? I need to clean the dishes." Smooth, Barakat.
"Fine." Alex huffed, hauling himself off the bed and trudging through the hall to the front door.
Jack stood innocently in the kitchen, watching.
Opening the door, Alex nearly fell to his knees.
"Hey, Alex," John smiled, crooked and adorable as always. Fuck. "I've got something for you."
He held a guitar, then picked it up, slinging the strap over himself and beginning to strum.
Alex could feel himself tearing up already, and if that weren't enough, John started singing.
"There was a new boy in town," He sang. "He had it all figured out."
Putty in his hands now, Alex listened along intently.
"I'll state something rash," he continued. "He had the most amazing .. smile." Alex cracked a grin at that.
"I'm falling in love, but it's falling apart. I need to find my way back to the start, when we were in love, oh, things were better than they are. Let me back into.. Into your arms, into your arms." He slowly stopped strumming.
Alex didn't realize he was crying. "No! Why'd you stop? It's such a good song, J."
"Because," John smiled. "I got my point across. I fucked up, okay? I need you back, babe. I miss you."
Fuck, if Alex wasn't his to begin with, he definitely was now.
John set the guitar down and Alex stepped forward, hugging him tightly.
"I've missed you so much," he mumbled into John's clothes. "You have no idea."
"I think I might." John's arms wrapped around Alex tight, pressing a kiss to his head.
"So.. You're moving out?" Jack chimed in from the kitchen.
Alex smiled, pulling away from John. "Yes, Jack. I'm moving out, finally. God, what an awful week you had.. Being stuck around me. Can't imagine the torment you went through when I kicked your ass at Mario Kart 7 times in a row." He smirked.
"Shut up asshole!" Jack laughed.
Alex shrugged, pressing a kiss to John's lips quickly before heading inside to get his things.
"I gotta know, dude, how do you do it?" Jack made his way to the door.
"Do what?" John raised an eyebrow.
"Attract people like fuckin super magnets, duh." Jack laughed a bit.
John shrugged, "Don't know. You'll find the right person eventually, though. Promise." A friendly tap on the shoulder and then Alex was pulling his suitcase down the hall and out to John, lacing his fingers with John's.
"You ready?" John smiled.
"Beyond ready." Alex smiled back. "Thank you, Jack. Really."
Jack shook his head, "It's no worries. Get on, go live happily ever after, lovebirds."
And with that, the two men walked off hand in hand, smiling.
"Where'd you even park? Holy shit. Is that your car all the way down there?" Alex laughed.
"Didn't exactly want Jack to know I was there and kick me out before I could ever get to the door. Besides, you like hikes, so I don't wanna hear shit about having to walk." John teased, grinning.
"Fuck you," Alex rolled his eyes.
"Fuck me? More like fuck you. Yknow, cuz-"
"Yeah, I get it, John, I get it. God, I missed your dumb ass."
