Stop Crying Your Heart Out - McLennon AU

18.

23rd April, 1963

"Are you sure you don't need a ride?" Mimi asked again, as John locked the door behind them.

"Mimi, I'm 100% positive. Paul's school is only down the road, It's like a 15-20 minute walk."

"Alright then..." She sighed, looking into her nephew's lifeless-looking eyes. "Bye Julian." The woman leant into the pram, placing a kiss on the baby's cheek.

"Bye." He waved, watching from the doorstep as she headed out of the gate first and towards her car. "C'mon then, Jules."

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After a 15 minute long walk, he arrived at the high school 5 minutes before the school day ended. He walked into the reception, where he thought would be the best place to wait as Paul's classroom was up stairs, and he couldn't take Julian's pram up any stairs.

The man sat down on a chair that the receptionist had brought out for him, staring into the pram. He brought his hand forward to lighly touch the sleeping baby's head, where there was now strands of light brown hair beginning to grow. John knew that as soon as the school bell would call out, that would be it, and Julian would wake up.

He was right. The bell called out throughout the entire school, as Julian's eyes flew open, soft cries leaving his mouth.

"Hey... Hey, shhh." John whispered to the baby, standing up and picking him up from inside of the pram. "'m here... Daddy's here, yeah?" The baby quietened down as John lightly bounced him up and down close to his chest.

It was then that he realised the baby was much more heavier than he had been the week before.

God... He's growing already...

"There we go, baby. No need to cry..." As he stared down at the now wide awake baby, he heard the doors from the main corridor fly open. And as he had silently hoped, it was Paul. "There's your uncle Paulie"

"Hey..." Paul smiled brightly, rushing straight over to see Julian. "Come here to uncle Paulie."

John couldn't help but smile as the younger man carefully picked up Julian and smiled at him, bringing him into his own touch.

"How's the day been?"

"Kids, y'know?" He sighed, looking at Julian. "Anyway... C'mon. We goin' your house Johnny?"

"Yeah, sure."

John started to walk forward, as Paul followed. Julian was still in Paul's arms, as the man was quietly talking to him.

"Don't mind signing me out, do you mate?" Paul asked, referencing to his occupied hands.

"Course not."

Paul didn't seem to be wanting to put Julian down anytime soon. And surprisingly, John didn't care. The younger man was great with Julian, he seemed to adore him.

"Bye Angela!" He called to the older woman behind the desk, throwing a wink in her direction.

"Bye love." She laughed, watching the men as they left the building and headed out of the school gates.

"I've been looking forward to this all day..." Paul spoke up, as the three of them finally reached the main road.

"To what? Getting to see Jules?" John asked, pushing the empty pram ahead.

"Yes... But just this in general. Being in your company." He shrugged. "It's like we're kids ourselves again when I see you waiting for me here on a Monday."

"Yeah, like I used to wait for you at the end of every day and we'd go down to the docs and smoke or whatever?" John added.

"Yeah... Speakin' of smoking, You got any ciggies? Been dyin' for one all day."

"Of course." John stuck his hand in his pocket, bringing out a packet of cigarettes, where there was only 4 left. "Fuck I'm gonna have to get more." He groaned, pulling out two.

John stopped where he was walking, taking the cigarette in his mouth an pulling out the lighter from the same pocket. He took a large drag, before passing Paul his.

"Mate, my hands are full. You're gonna have to do it for me..." He spoke innocently, obviously trying not to smirk.

"You're havin' a laugh?" John asked, his mouth falling open at the suggestion.

"What do you mean...?" He acted clueless.

"Paul, you are not gonna make me do that surrounded by aload of fuckin' teenage school kids, right?" He asked, a smile becoming present on his face at the ridiculousness of the entire situation.

"Go on... It'll be alright." the smirk finally broke out.

John laughed at him, shaking his head as he moved the cigarette into his right hand.

"I can't believe this." He brought the cigarette up to Paul's mouth. "Open your fuckin' mouth then." He laughed, as Paul did as he asked.

John placed it in between Paul's plump, red lips, as he brought the lighter up too. He lit it, his hand lurking for what was maybe too long.

"Oi oi sir!" John immediately moved the lighter away and into his pocket at the high pitched voice, noticing Paul whip his head around in confusion. There was a teenage boy who was slowly riding his bike at the other side of the road, with his friend walking next to him, both smirking right in Paul's direction. "Give us one 'ere, would you sir?"

"Uh, obviously not!" Paul joked back, a matter of fact tone present in his voice.

"Aw go on Mr McCartney! We're dyin' for a ciggy over 'ere." The other boy called over.

"Yeah well my mates only got two left, and they're for later. So tough luck." Paul called over, turning his head back to Julian. "Go on, get outa here!"

John couldn't help but smile at how good Paul was with those teenagers. He spoke to them like he was their friend.

The teenagers laughed as they turned to head through the woods, the kid not on the bike running after him to catch up. Paul laughed, lifting his head back up to watch them leave, shaking his head with a smile at what had just happened.

"Told you." John smirked, folding his arms.

"They're harmless." Paul smiled, looking back down at the baby who seemed confused.

"If only Cyn would have seen that, she'd be pissin' herself." John added, the smile still present.

"She did."

And John swore he felt his heart flip at those words.