We Should Be Together - Lams AU

13.

I woke up before Alex, light streaming through the curtains. Rolling out of bed, my eyes settled on Alex's face, half concealed by the blankets. He looked so peaceful - eyes shut for once, body curled up and a small smile on his lips - I wondered what he was dreaming about.

However, I'd woken up first. Therefore I had the shower. I stood up and stretched, hearing the satisfying noise of my bones clicking, before I made my way to the bathroom.

I turned it on and grabbed my towel, letting it heat up, before I heard a needy whine from the other room.

"Joooooohn," Alex whined.

"What?" I shouted through.

"Dibs on the shower!"

"Uhh, no. You snooze, you lose."

"Boiiiiii. I have the girlfriend. I have to not stink."

"Yeah, well I'm the one who has to deal with Charles Lee being a dick."

Alex came to the bathroom door, which I hadn't locked yet.

"So we're fully resolved?"

"What?"

"We're going to murder him," Alex suggested, dead serious.

"Alex, no," I laughed it off and hoped he was joking.

"Oh, come on. I've had a bloodlust for Charles Lee's death for the whole of high school now. He provides nothing for the world - he only makes it worse. He makes good people feel shit about their lives because he has nothing good in his own. You know what he did you Laf and Herc - he took joy out of telling everyone. And now with you? No, he shouldn't be allowed to make anyone feel any worse about themselves." Alex laced his arms around my shoulders, resting his head in the crook of my neck.

"Alex, I swear to God." I pulled away. "Tell me your joking right now."

"OK, I'm joking," He lied, before sauntering out of the bathroom. I locked the door and slid down it, the room starting to fill with steam.

"Oh my God," I murmured to myself. "Alex... he has to be joking. He has to." Only this wasn't funny. Going to jail for life over Charles Lee? Throwing his future away over Charles Lee? No... he's not stupid. He wouldn't do that! I had to talk him out of it - but first I needed my shower.

Alex's POV
Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

John wasn't ready for that sort of thing. Of course he wouldn't want to murder anyone! He's just a happy ray of sunshine. A human incarnation of a sunflower. A sweet bean of goodness and light.

But Charles Lee. Wasn't he worth it? He hurt John. He hurt Laf and Herc. Throughout middle school and the start of high school, he hurt me, and countless others. He was just a sad little bully who didn't have any joy in his life.

I heard John get in the shower, bringing my thoughts back to him. Was he really gay? I mean, he did screw up his date with Peggy... she's a Schuyler. She's smart, funny, pretty... why would he screw that up? John isn't stupid.

So he must have feelings for someone else. And it wasn't Eliza, if he was gay, because despite what she suspected about him liking her, that just disproved all of her theories.

I sat down on my bed, thinking hard. Who did John like? It had to be a guy. Laf? Herc? He's seemed a little jealous recently, and started pushing Laf away. Oh my God! He has a crush on Herc!

My thoughts were interrupted by the shower turning off. A few moments later, John appeared, wrapped in a towel, his clothes in his arms.

"All yours," He murmured whilst smiling weakly.