Raise A Glass {Lams}

::Twenty Two::

When John opened his eyes, the immediate headache bashed at his skull and the bright light streaming in from the open window made him wince. 

Where...where was he? He sat up, groggily rubbing his eyes. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her and froze. He was shaking with fear, there was a girl, a naked girl, laying next to him. He was naked too. 

Oh my god, he thinks, panic racing through his already aching mind, did we have sex? B-but I'm so gay! How drunk was I?? Who's hotel room are we in?

He climbed out of the bed and began to scour the floor for his pants. He had slipped them on, they smelled faintly of alcohol, probably from the wedding last night. That much he remembered.

Then a soft yawn was heard from behind John and he froze. He turned around to see the naked girl. She and John made eye-contact and she pulled up the edge of the sheets to cover her exposed chest. 

"Good morning, love," her voice was tired and she used her free hand to rub the sleep from her eyes, "did you sleep well?"

"Um, yeah. Hey...uh..."

"Oh, you were probably too drunk to remember me. I'm Martha Manning, it's a pleasure to meet you, formally, I mean. When you're not blinding drunk and stumbling everywhere."

John facepalmed in embarrassment, "Oh god, I'm so sorry."

"Nah, it's fine. It was a wedding, we should feel free to go wild. So, do you want my number or--"

"I'm gay!" John blurted out, not even knowing what he was going to say. Martha's eyes widened.

"You're...you're gay?"

"I'm gay."

"Oh."

"Martha, I'm so s--" he was cut off by light, tinkling laughter. Martha was laughing, a hand cupped over her mouth as her shoulders shook with giggles.

"John, your gay ass had sex with a woman. I am so sorry for laughing but I can't believe you were so drunk that you forgot your own sexuality! That's...kinda fuckin' hilarious!"

John stared at her for a second, his mouth gaping for a bit before he began to laugh as well. And they both stood there, stirring in the morning silence, laughing their asses off at the night before. And John felt happy.

He and Martha exchanged phone number before John left her room, promising to keep in touch. John was excited he made a friend and more so that she didn't care about his sexuality. 

John and Alexander made up but decided to take a break. Things since the wedding were tense and John just needed a few weeks from all the madness. 

Alexander too, he told John he was stressed about everything--finding work, paying rent alone now. It was all too much, and he clashed with John.

They still held hands, kissed, hugged but they had decided to take it easy for a little bit.

And then, two weeks after the wedding (Herc and Laf were in Rome at that time, about to come home) when he received a call.

He smiled at the contact name, he and Martha had been texting throughout the few weeks. 

"Hey hey," John greeted, sitting on the couch. When he only heard sniffling in response, his eyes widened. Martha was crying, what was wrong? "M-martha? Martha, are you okay? What's wrong?"

"John," she sniffed into the microphone, "I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry!"

"What? Why are you apologiz--"