Orphanage AU: Lams

Chapter 24: Sunrise

Sorry guys. This chapter's hella short.

---Alex's POV---

By 10:30 John was sleeping peacefully on the bed, sketch book in hand. I wished I could see what he drew, but he was a little on top of it and I didn't want to wake him. Speaking of which, he hadn't woken me up from my inadvertent sleeping spell and I was consequently feeling considerably refreshed, awake, and alert for 10:45 at night.

With an offhand shrug, I decided to keep working. The essay I was currently toiling on was due in barely a month and I was semifrantic to complete it. I needed to study several psych terms. I had to study for law, biology, and several minors. Crap.

To be sure, the short time I had spent sleeping this afternoon proved very beneficial as I now felt quite awake. I was not used to such generous amounts of sleep, usually working on much less. Oh well. I could work it off.

When the first rays of light leaked through the soft curtains, casting a small spotlight on my notebook, I was still at work.

---John's POV---

Beep! Beep! Beep!

My eyes flew open but my body didn't move an inch as I saw a dimly lit room with the curtains closed, fast typing creating a constant, gentle patter. 4:45 AM, the clock read in glowing red numbers. A soft stream of light comfortingly touched the objects in the room, but I realized an unnatural light was also being cast and traced it to a laptop that was glowingly illuminating Alex's weary face.

What the hell?! I clicked the button on the clock and the beeping stopped as my hand fell limpy to hang down over the edge of the bed, already exhausted from the effort.

"When'd you get up?" I groggily asked Alex, rubbing my eyes.

"Shit." His voice was dry and worn. He took a long sip from a thermos beside him and cleared his throat experimentally before continuing, "sorry about the alarm. I should turn it off and-and..." he looked thoughtful.

"You look like you need sleep." I eyed him, his eyebags clear even though the light from his computer came from below his face. "When did you wake up?"

"I didn't." I blinked. What. "I stayed up all night."

"You WHAT?" was all I was capable of spluttering.

"Hey, hey, hey, chill, it's normal. I'm fine!" Alex continued to type, looking slightly alarmed at my reaction, but I was already speaking before he finished assuring me everything was ok.

"Nope! You are sleeping right now! Dude, I'ma be your mother 'cuz you clearly need parental guidance if you think it's normal to stay up all night." I grabbed his arm and pulled open the covers. Laying him down on the bed, I patted his head. "'Night."

I realized as I turned around, already too awake to go back to sleep, that he'd fallen silent as soon as I told him I'd be his parent.

His endless stream of protests had ended. I resolved not to talk about parents anymore. "Goodnight." he whispered with a soft smile. My heart melted.

Once he relaxed, he fell asleep pretty quickly. I was already awake and was too shy to ask to sleep in the bed with him, to I slipped into the bathroom to shower, change, brush my hair, and check my reflection.

By 5:20 I was out and about, toasting us both a couple of waffles and searching the fridge for butter and syrup. I wolfed down mine because I didn't really want to eat around him after our discussion of food yesterday.

Tying up my hair and making sure one last time that my bruises were covered, I quietly left the room, closing the door behind me. It was 5:50 and the sun had begun to fill in the dorm, catching the green eyes on the picture of Mother, her eyes sparking as I twisted the knob gently so it barely made a click. Alexander needed his sleep, and I wouldn't wake him until it was absolutely necessary.

Dew from my shoes made wet tracks on the cement of the sidewalk, showing my path through the grass, onto the sidewalk, and leading to the coffee shop, where I stood. The sun was halfway up, making the grass twinkle.

By 6:10 the coffee was ready, and I waved to Elizabeth- who told me to call her Eliza, and squinted in the sunlight as I stepped outside.

The sun had risen. It was a new day.

Cheers guys. Alex's was the shortest POV I've ever written. I don't know whether to be proud or disappointed. Somebody congratulate me. The word congratulations holds the perfect double meaning.

-The Worst Writer on Wattpad