Chapter Text
Alex didn’t stop eating meals with Tomas and John. Nothing changed that much, except for one thing. He didn’t talk to them, like at all. Not a single word. Not even “Pass the salt” or “What’s for dinner?”. He didn’t text them either, once he took a train, metro, bus and also walked multiple miles home after going somewhere with his friends instead of texting his boyfriends to pick him up. But they heard him talking on the phone with his friend, so at least they knew he wasn’t mute.
They were sitting at the table eating breakfast, well mostly poking it with their forks.
“Alex, your birthday is coming up. Are you planning on doing something with your friends?”
Alex stared ahead, not even shrugging or nodding his head.
“Come on, Alex, baby, please talk to us.”
Again, there was no reaction.
“Well, at least, what do you want to your birthday?”
Alex didn’t react. He didn’t smile or anything, either.
“Please, Alex. We need you to talk to us. It’s been a week.”
Alex stood up and walked around the table, grabbing the salt from next to Tomas and walking back to his chair.
“I could have just passed it to you.”
Alex looked at him with that dead expression.
“Alexander, please, I miss your voice.”
He just blinked.
“Please, baby.”
Alex got up from the table, grabbed his bag, and started putting his shoes on.
“Alex, baby, where are you going? It’s Saturday, you don’t have work.”
He ignored him, opening the door and leaving. His footsteps echoed down the building stairs.
“Alex?”
“Tomas, I’m worried about him.”
“Same. But we’re not following him.”
“Ok, but I’ll look at his location on Find My.”
“Sure.”
Alex seemed to walk for a few minutes before speeding up, so he probably got into a bus or taxi. After maybe ten minutes, he got out and walked for a bit. He was downtown, even though he didn’t know anyone from there, and there was nothing interesting there.
“Where’s he going?”
“I don’t know. He’s heading towards Charleston Bridge according to the app.”
“He’s heading WHERE?”
“Charleston Bridg- OH MY GOD!”
A minute later, John and Tomas were sitting in their car, speeding through the streets towards the bridge. Alex seemed to stop when he was on the bridge, meaning he was either just standing there or had jumped off. When they parked (over two parking stops), they got out and ran towards where the Find My app showed he was. He was still there, sitting on the handrails, nothing stopping him from falling or jumping. John and Tomas walked towards him, one leaning towards the handrails on his left side and the other on the right. He didn’t seem to notice, though he was probably just pretending not to see them. He stared straight ahead, not moving a muscle. After maybe ten minutes (well actually a week), he finnaly spoke.
“What do you want?”
Tomas couldn’t stop himself.
“Wow, you can talk.”
“I said, what do you want?”
This time, it was John who spoke.
“Alexander, come down from there. You could fall.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s really awkward to have a weird conversation when I have to look at you two.”
“You don’t need to. We’ll just sit down on the ground and you can look forward.”
“Ugh, fine.”
Alex climbed down from the hardrail and slid down to the ground. Tomas and John sat down next to him. After a second, Alex just broke. He started sobbing and couldn’t get a single word out.
“Can we, um, hug you?”
A small nod. They hugged him from both sides as he cried. A lady walking past them looked at them weird. It stated to rain, and because they weren’t in a movie, they got up and drove home. John sat in the back with Alex while Tomas drove.
Again, not much changed, but this time Alexander actually talked to John and Tomas. One evening, they came into Alex’s room. He was lying on his bed, trying to focus on a book. His boyfriends couldn’t see what it was called, but they could see the letters "Th_ _e______ P_mpl_t." on the page; obviously the name of a chapter.
“Baby?”
“Yeah?” He said putting down the book.
“Me and Tomas just wanted to make sure you know that were never going to go back to how it was- um- before.”
“Oh. Thanks.”
“I’m not sure if being morally nice to you is something that you should thank us for.”
“Oh come on, you’re trying your best.”
“I love you, Alex.
Tomas chimed in.
“Me too. I also love you.”
Alex laughed.
“I love you too, both of you.”