Since We Were 14 ~ Lams

7.

"I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to upset you." Alexander said as he cleaned up the spilt glass of milk.

"You always do this!" Eliza sobbed. "You can never do anything right! Do you plan to make my life miserable!? Is that what you want!?"

"No, that's not what I want at all. I'm sorry. Go relax. I'll clean this." Alexander assured before Eliza smacked him.

"No! You shouldn't have done it in the first place! And you're cleaning it wrong! Just go! I don't want you here!" Eliza said, pointing to the door.

"Eliza-" Alex started. "No! Get out! Just leave!" Eliza sobbed.

"Okay, okay." Alex stated, sighing as he left the house and drove to John's. He hasn't been over cause of Eliza in a bit, trying to be a better husband and stop fighting but... they couldn't stop fighting.

John yawned when he heard knocking at the door, being woken up from the loud sounds. He put on his rob and went to the door, opening it. Alexander just allowed himself in and immediately started talking before John could let a word out.

"Because I spilt some milk! All of this because I spilt a glass of milk!" Alexander complained as he came in. "She kicks me out of the house over a spilt glass of milk!"

"Alex-"

"I do everything now! Since she got pregnant, I've been doing all of the house work as well as the one working, doing our finances, paying the bills. But do I get a thanks? Nope. I just get yelled at for every little thing I do wrong."

"Alex-" John tried again but was cut off.

"Cause I'm just such a terrible person. I'm just always going around and sleeping with everything with a pulse and I guess I never do anything right and I'm ruining our relationship when really it's the other way around! I mean, I want us to be good but she's constantly yelling and fighting!"

"Alexander-" John tried once more but again ended up being cut off.

"How does she expect to be a mother when she acts like this!?!" Alexander continued to explain. "She's so fucked up, oh my god!"

"Alexander!" John snapped so Alex would listen.

"Yes?" Alex asked.

"Do you want some coffee?"

Alexander took a closer look at John. His bags were very defined under his eyes and he looked like he had honestly fell asleep crying before Alex came over.

"Yeah-" Alex nodded softly. "That would be nice." He agreed as John nodded and went into the kitchen, yawning a bit and wiping under his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked softly, following John into the kitchen. "Yeah, you just woke me up." He mumbled.

"Well, I mean, you look sad." Alex touched John's arm. "Tell me what's wrong." He said.

John swallowed hard, his heart fluttering a bit at the contact. He tried to shake the butterflies in his stomach away. "I-I don't want to talk about it." He said softly, continuing to start the pot of coffee.

"You do want to talk about it, though. I can tell." Alexander pressed on a bit.

"But it's best if I don't." John said, getting two mugs out from the cabinet.

"You and I both know that's not true." Alex said. "You're the first one to get me to speak what's on my mind. You've always told me not to hold anything in when it's bothering me. You should take your own advice."

John stopped what he was doing, almost like he was contemplating the situation. He stood there a moment, not saying or doing anything but staring into space.

Then, he shook his head. "I can't. Just... not today, alright?" He said, looking at Alex with glossy eyes.

Alex nodded softly and rubbed John's arm. "Okay. Just don't wait too long, alright?" He said.

John nodded softly and handed Alex his cup of coffee. No creamer and one sugar, just as Alex liked it.

"Thank you." Alex said, smiling softly and taking the mug.

"Of course." John smiled a bit and went to the couch with Alex, carrying his mug and sitting down.

"Do you want to continue about Eliza?" John asked a bit.

"Yeah, I'll continue." Alex said, sipping his coffee before putting it down on the coffee table.

"She's yelled at me so much the last few days- like we've been really good lately. Like, she still would get mad but she wasn't hitting me or screaming at me or anything until a couple days ago, she started hitting me with the broom because I didn't sweep well enough."

"I've been doing everything around the house but anytime I try and sit down and have a second alone, she yells at me for never doing anything when she isn't. Then this morning, I spilt a little bit of milk while making some cereal and god- I guess that just caused the world to end."

Alex sighed softly. "I wish Eliza was more like you." He admitted.

"What?" John asked, trying to ignore that his face was beginning to heat up from Alexander's words.

"Yeah- I mean, you're sweet and you make sure I don't stress myself out. And you always let me share my feelings and rarely- if ever- get mad at me over it. You make me cookies and coffee and you always check up on me. You're an amazing person and I just wish Eliza was more like you." Alex shrugged a bit and took a sip of his coffee.

John was lost a bit for words at that point. "Th-thank you. I try." He said, taking a drink of his coffee to hid his blush.

"You don't need to try. You're an amazing person. And anyone would be lucky to have you." Alex smiled a bit, a small blush creeping up his neck. "Even Francis. Hopefully he knows how lucky he is."

John nodded a bit, falling silent.