Impenetrable Heart | The Oneshot Collection

I Found

     A/N- TW!!! This chapter is themed around an instance of domestic violence/abuse. If you are sensitive to this, please take care and don't read! Be safe, take care of yourself <3

     ...

     "And that there is Capella," John pointed tiredly at the sky, right at a bright shining star towards the north. "The brightest star in the sky."

     Alex rocked forwards on his knees, craning to see out the window. John had to laugh at the look of wonder on his face, almost childlike. His favorite part of the day had to be the night time when he and Alex would stay up late and look at the sky together. He always had a natural fondness of the night sky, which turned into an acute knowledge.

     "The flickering one, you mean?" Alex asked, frowning. "You're sure that isn't a satellite?"

     "I'm sure," John chuckled, leaning back. "Stare at it, and don't blink."

     "Huh?"

     "Just do it."

     Alex widened his eyes, staring aggressively at Capella with a look of pure determination on his face. It didn't last long, however, as a cool breeze drifted through, likely drying his eyes out.

     "It's... long?" He asked, confused. "It looks like a UFO."

     "Not long, two."

     "Two? Two what?"

     "Two stars."

     He squinted again.

     "Capella is actually Capella a and b, if you look hard enough you can see both of them," John explained. Alex sat back, seemingly impressed.

     "Wow, explains why it's so bright. It's twins. "

     John laughed, and mistakingly rubbed his eyes.

     "John, I still feel like there's something you're not telling me," Alex said, for the third time that night.

     The room was dark, thankfully, so he couldn't see John's red eyes. Alex had found him just after a nightmare, one of which shook him up so much that he much rather wanted to distract himself than face it. Mostly because it was just any nightmare, but a memory. Alex wasn't stupid, John knew this, and he could tell that John was upset- as much as he tried denying it.

     "Alex, I'm fine," John said lightly, gently shoving his shoulder.

     "John, you were on the verge of tears when I came in," Alex replied, nudging him back.

     "That's what you always say."

     For years, John was plagued by frequent nightmares. After some time, he got fairly used to them, but he still had his moments where one would be worse than the last. Alex seemed to always find him in his worst moments, which was both a curse and a blessing depending on who you asked.

     "You had another nightmare," Alex said knowingly. "I can tell."

     "And how can you tell?"

     "Well, the bed isn't made so you were trying to sleep," he noted. "And you're refusing to talk about it, so it must've been a pretty bad one. You like to change subjects when you have the bad ones."

     John blinked, unaware even he did these things. He sunk back into the seat defeated.

     "Oh."

     "As I said, you don't have to tell me everything, but believe me, talking about it is going to help more than you realize," he set, gently resting a hand on John's knee. "It always helped me."