Impenetrable Heart | The Oneshot Collection

Rest

     "Coffee? At two in the morning? Really?"

     "You act as if you're surprised," Alex noted, taking another sip.

     "You could at least try defending yourself."

     "Why would I?"

     John groaned, tilting his head back in exhaustion.

     "You're so quick to get onto me about not sleeping, then you pull things like this," John crossed his arms. "It makes me wonder why I should even listen to you."

     Alex gawked, setting down his cup. The two were perched in the window seat, having what was now called their 'nightly debrief', soon to be called, 'Alexander yelling at John for not being asleep even though Alex stays up until four am every night and acts like there's nothing wrong with that.'

     Very interchangeable titles, to be sure.

     "Because you need the sleep," Alex shot back. "You stay up and can hardly function the next day, meanwhile I'm fine with only a few hours-"

     "-And three cups of espresso-"

     "-Not the point."

     "Yes, the point!"

     "John," Alex said flatly. "I've been this way my entire life, I'm fine like this."

     "It can't be healthy," John mumbled.

     "What?" Alex chuckled, poking John's side.

     "Stop it," John said, holding back a smile.

     "What did you say, mumbles?" He taunted, poking John's side a second time, to which he folded over, trying to block the attack.

     "Oh yeah?" John laughed, grazing Alex's side with a free hand.

     John chuckled as a laugh bubbled from Alex. He swatted John's hand away.

     "Okay okay, truce!"

     John sat back, content but still doubtful, considering Alex's shit-eating grin. Thankfully, Alex didn't go in for another attack, instead, leaning back against the side of the window as his smile slowly faded. John frowned, catching Alex's eye.

     "What?"

     "Hm?"

     "Don't 'hm' me, why are you looking at me like that?" John asked with a light chuckle, which quickly subsided as Alex's face remained unwavering.

     "I just," Alex started softly. "Worry."

     "About...?"

     "You."

     John sighed, leaning back as well.

     "I couldn't possibly see why," he said, looking back out the window.

     He knew it was a lie. Alex had been on his case about his poor sleeping habits for weeks, catching him at various times of the night awake, drawing or on his phone, anything besides sleeping. He knew he was suspicious.

     "You're having nightmares again, aren't you?" Alex said suddenly.

     John perked up, frowning deeply at Alex who looked back at him sadly.

     Well fuck, were the first words to pop into John's panicking brain as he fumbled for an excuse.

     "What? Where is this coming from?" John chuckled. "That's all over now, I wouldn't-"