Roommates

A Bad Reputation

Alexander and Charles sat talking for a while before the door opened. John burst in, looking annoyed and exasperated.

"Wait, Charles? What the hell?" John said, his eyes wide. Alexander looked at him in confusion and Charles stood up.

"John?" Charles said, his mouth gaping in astonishment. John's disbelief quickly turned into hatred. John ran up to Charles and took him by the throat, hard. John lifted him slightly off the ground. Charles gagged and Alexander feared that John was going to squeeze right through the bones.

"I will kill you, you freaking motherf-" John started but Alexander cut him off.

"John! Stop!" Alexander said, tugging at John's arm. Charles let out a small choking noise and John released him. Charles fell to the floor, rubbing his throat. The skin was already darkening into a bruise.

"Alexander, stay away from him," John said. Alexander looked at him in anger.

"No! Just because you don't like him, doesn't mean you get to come in here and choke him to death!" Alexander said, standing in front of John. John's brows furrowed in frustration.

"He's a monster! He bullied so many people last year! He nearly killed my best friend!" John said accusingly, pushing Alexander out of the way. Charles coughed up a bit of blood.

"I've changed!" Charles said weakly, shakily standing up.

"People don't change," John said, his voice full of hate and anger. Alexander stepped between them once again.

"John, please stop!" Alexander pleaded. John looked at Alexander's helpless face and sighed. He stepped back.

"Fine, but Charles isn't going to come anywhere near me, or I WILL make him regret it," John said, turning away and storming out of the room. John went into his own room and slammed the door. Alexander rushed over to Charles.

"I'm sorry about that. I don't know what's gotten into him," Alexander said, getting some ice and putting it up to Charles's throat. Charles let out a noise of relief and shock from the cold ice pressed against his bruise.

"It's ok, I deserved it," Charles said, "I was a bad person back then." Alexander felt a stab of sympathy.

"Let me go talk to John," Alexander said, leaving Charles to tend to the bruise on his throat.

Alexander came into John's room to see him on his bed with his face in his pillow. John looked up, and his hard gaze softened once he saw Alexander. Alexander went and sat next to John and began to play with his curly hair.

"John," Alexander said, laying down next to him.

"Alexander," John replied. Oh, the way John said his full name. Elegantly. Beautifully. If sent chills down Alexander's spine.

"Are you ok? It seems you have a lot of unnecessary aggression towards Charles," Alexander said, facing John. John looked away and sighed. Alexander frowned, intertwining his fingers with John's. John visibly blushed, still not making eye contact with him.

"I'm fine. I guess I'm sorry. I acted like a jerk when I did that, and Charles didn't need reminding of his past," John said, regret lining his words. Alexander smiled slightly.

"You should tell that to Charles. He feels so bad," Alexander said, squeezing John's hand.

"I will," John said, blowing a strand of curly hair from his eyes, only for it to fall back in the same spot. "Later."

"Come on, John," Alexander urged.

"Fine," John said reluctantly and sat up. Alexander walked over to the door and opened it, waiting for John to go out before him. John walked out and stood in front of Charles, who was sitting on his bed.

"I'm sorry, Charles," John said, avoiding eye contact with him.

"It's ok, John. I'm sorry too," Charles said, putting the ice down and standing up.

"Let's try this again."

"Ok."

"Hello Charles, nice to see you."

"Likewise, John."