NJ Boys Oneshots

Running out of reasons (M x Ale) A

"Ale!" He pulled him into his room. "Look man I'm really sorry— I didn't mean to sic your parents on you-"
"It's fine Mattia. My dad kicked me out. Can I stay here?" Ale chewed absently on his lip.

Mattia stood in shock for a moment but nodded. "I'll go ask my parents." He hesitated and gave Ale a quick kiss on the forehead. Ale managed a smile.

After getting approval from Mattia's parents Ale moved in. Shortly after they graduated they got their own flat. And once again, Ale had many reasons to live.

And then they came out online.

The reception was less than positive.

Seemingly overnight they had lost over half their followers. Eventually it got to a point where there was no point in making videos or anything anymore.

But he still had his friends and his boyfriend, right?

And then Alvaro and Kairi moved to college. They promised they would still talk but after a month they seemingly disappeared.

Ale felt sick. He felt out of control. He just wanted to control something in life.

And that was the start of his eating disorder.

At first he just skipped meals. Anything Mattia wasn't there for. Then he skipped meals whenever Mattia didn't remind him. Then even when Mattia did remind him.

Then one day Mattia made him eat. He knew it was just because he cared about him but it made his stomach churn.

That night Ale went to the bathroom, and with shaking hands made himself throw up.

But it was fine. It wasn't that bad, right? He was in control. He could stop whenever he wanted to.

But he didn't stop.

And one day Mattia found out.

"Are you kidding me Alejandro? You— we barely have enough money for food and you're wasting it!? Not to mention this is bad for you- do you have any common sense at all?" Mattia half shouted at his boyfriend. Ale just sat there in bed, staring at the younger male with big sad doe eyes.

"Are you even gonna respond or are you just gonna try and guilt trip me? Not anymore Alejandro. I'm fucking tired of this. I'm out. I'll find my own place." Mattia stormed out of the apartment. Ale could feel his throat closing up.

He had run out of reasons.

Shakily he stood up and went to the bathroom. With trembling hands he managed to get the aspirin open after a few attempts. He felt like he was detached from his body as he watched the little white pills roll onto the floor.

He was done.

He pouted the remainder of the bottle into his hands and shoved what he could in his mouth, swallowing them with a hint of confidence.

There was nothing left for him.

He laid on the floor, his vision beginning to grow blurry and his eyes drooping. Then he heard the creak of the front door opening.

"Alejandro? Baby are you in there? Hey— I'm sorry for blowing up at you. Can we talk?"

Mattia's voice filled Alejandro with a sense of hope. He managed to get on his feet and went to the hallway to greet his lover, but before he could get words out of his mouth he fell to the floor like a sack of bricks.

Mattia watched in horror. His first thought was that Ale had eaten so little in the previous days that his body had just given up. Then he saw the little white pills in the carpet.

Instantly he started cussing and scrambled for his phone. He wished he had just thought for a little longer before blowing up at him. He wished he had thought it through before he said it was over.

But Mattia never used his head, as much as he tried to.

He called 911, feeling sweat build up on his back from the panic.

"911, what's your emergency?"
"My boyfriend tried to overdose."
"Okay sir, make sure to take a deep breath. Now what's your address, we can sent an ambulance straight away."
"6735 Willow Lane. Apartment 235."
"Okay sir, we'll send an ambulance straight away."
"Thank you." He hung up, his fingers shaking.

He went and sat down next to Ale's body. He placed a hand gently on his neck and felt for a pulse. He sighed in relief when he felt one. It was weak, but there.

He waited around 10 minutes before the paramedics came in. He helped them move his body onto the stretcher and watched, feeling detached from his body as they took him down into the back of the ambulance. He didn't think twice before accepting to ride with him.

The next few weeks were the worst of Mattia's life.

Each day he woke up in a cold bed that he used to share with the love of his life. He ate a quick breakfast, usually a granola bar, that had lost any taste. Then he went to the job he used to love and watched it fly by like a spectator of his own life. Then he drove to the hospital and sat in Alejandro's room until 9, when visitor hours ended. Then he had a late dinner, prepared lunch for the next day and went to sleep.

He just missed his boyfriend.

One day when he went to the hospital there was something different.

Alejandro was sitting up in bed.

He felt his heart beat faster and faster. He pretty much ran into the room.

"Ale!" He managed, grabbing him quickly and pulling him into his arms. Ale gasped softly.

"Mattia— What are you doing here?"

"Ale baby I missed you so much-" Mattia barely got the words out of his mouth before he connected his lips with Alejandro's.

After a few days Ale was released from the hospital. Each day him and Mattia sat in their room after dinner and talked everything through. They even went out for dinner for the first time since they were kids.

Mattia really hated to have to do this.

He watched the phone ring anxiously. Ale was out on his first day of his job.

"Hello?" He almost shouted with relief when Kai picked up.
"Kairi! Hey man it's been forever!"
"Mattia?"
"Mhm!"
"Holy shit it has been! What's up?"
"Well— wow I'm gonna seem like a piece of shit after this but I need money. I— I wanna propose to Alejandro."
"Wait- really?"
"Yeah. But I don't have enough money for a ring. Could you give me some?" He cringed at how desperate he sounded.

The next week they went out for dinner again. Mattia had never seen Alejandro smile so much since before his parents kicked him out.

At the end of dinner Mattia got up. Ale looked up curiously.

He carefully got down on one knee and carefully took the box out of his pocket. Ale stared at him curiously.

"Alejandro—"
"Holy shit."
"I wanna be with you for the rest of my life. I know we both have a lot of problems, but I know together we can get through them."
"Oh my god." Ale covered his mouth. By now all the eyes in the restaurant were on them.
"Alejandro Rosario, will you marry me?"
"Oh my god!" He was actually crying now. "Yes! Yes I will!" He said after a second, when he finally processed he had to respond.

Quickly Mattia got to his feet and scooped him into his arms. Kai and Alvaro came out from their booth nearby and cheered for them. Ale was shaking and crying. This was all too much.

He had a reason again.