Apple Corps.

Returning

Brian was walking the length of the office aimlessly on Monday morning, watching everyone working. It would've made Paul nervous if he wasn't so preoccupied being miserable. No one actually looked particularly interested in Brian's pacing though. So what triggered Pattie into asking him what was not interest but annoyance.

"Brian, what's got you so squirmy?" She asked as she made sure her stack of papers were even in their pile. Brian opened his mouth and then closed it again. The whole office huffed and Pete threw a balled up paper at him. Brian mockingly laughed and threw it back.

"Well, as it seems. Johns branch is closing so a few people we'll be transferring here to keep working."

Paul took an unbelievably hard and choppy breath and shoved his papers over to the side of his desk. Subconsciously he started gripping hard at his opposite wrist. Pattie crossed her arms and chuckled with a tilted shake of her head.

"Can't get rid of him for too long, can we?" She directed her friendly gaze at Pete who was leaning back on his chair and grunted teasingly with agreement. Brian lingered outside his office for a couple minutes longer before going back inside, leaving everyone to go back to their previous engagements but Paul just stared down at his desk. He wasn't sure what to do with himself but let this horrid feeling take over him. He pushed his chair back and dug out a small journal from his bag, pressing the spiral into his skin before sitting it down in front of him. He put a letter of the alphabet on each line and went to work calming himself down.
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John hadn't left his house in a week, he'd become entirely recluse. If he was honest, Paul wasn't sure he was welcome right now. But it bugged him that he didn't know how John was doing so he started walking to John's house.

When he knocked on the door, Mimi opened it. She looked much different than he'd ever seen her. She looked run down and tired. "Mimi, I'm-"

"Go on, he's his room. This might actually do him some good." She stepped aside to let him walk in. Paul gave her a sympathetic look that she dismissed. So Paul trotted up the stairs and debated on whether to knock on the nearly open door or just push it open, he knocked. John must've thought he was Mimi judging by his lack of answer.

"John? S'Paul"

There was a few shuffling sounds before he answered. "You can come in."

Paul pushed the door the last bit and walked inside. John was sat on his bed looking, if possible, worse than Mimi. His eyes were red and puffy. He was trying his best to keep that out of Paul's view but it wasn't working. Paul walked over and sat down on the end of his bed. "How are you-?"

"That's a daft question, innit?" John rolled his eyes and shifted. Paul shrugged and started playing with the sheets.

"Suppose you're right. I hated when people asked me that." Paul shook his head. "I know how you're feeling"

John nodded solemnly and opened his mouth to ask Paul a question. "When does it get better?"

Paul blinked and thought about it. "Everyday's gonna be a little better. But the pain is always gonna be there. The grief isn't gonna vanish. It's gonna be a long time-" Paul kept himself from hiccuping. "The little things help"

John nodded as Paul spoke all of this with emotion heavy in his voice. "It feels good to get up and do things. The first day I didn't cry, I made myself tea."

John could tell Paul was trying to get him out of bed but it was working so John and Paul went downstairs and made some tea. Paul gave Mimi a small smile to reassure her when they were working.