Work Text:
John
“Alex, wake up.”
“Alex. Wake. Up.”
“Hmmm?” Alex’s eyes fluttered open, still foggy with sleep. “John? Whatcha need at this time of night?” His voice was still slurred, he was obviously still half-asleep.
“I can’t sleep.” John looked down at Alex, smiling slightly.
“Try harder.” Alex muttered, rolling over.
“No, like I can’t sleep. It’s been three days and I can’t sleep. I need help.”
Alex shot up, “three days! It’s been three days, and you haven’t said anything? John! You idiot!”
John swallowed, blushing slightly, “I know, I know, sorry, I should have told you.”
“Yes, yes you should have.” Alex shook his head. “Alright, now how to help you. Um… I know! Maybe. Go grab your computer and bring it back here.”
“Alright.” John ran back to his dorm to grab his computer. He was lucky that Alex’s roommate was never there- that could have been a weird conversation. He made sure to be quiet in his own room, he didn’t want Laff waking up. Quickly, he made his way back to Alex’s room, letting himself in with the key lex had secretly given him.
Alex was up at his desk, typing something into his computer. John coughed lightly, causing Alex to look up, “oh! You’re back. Right. Now, I assume you have homework?”
“Yes. But how is this going to help me?”
“You’ll see. Now, get to work.”
“Okay then.” John sat down beside Alex, opening his computer. He worked slowly, taking his time. After a few minutes, Alex began humming a song under his breath. It didn’t bug John, he found it kind of relaxing. He listened to Alex with growing content and relaxation, not realizing his eyes had closed until his chin hit his chest. His head snapped up, his eyes popping open. He looked at Alex to make sure he hadn’t seen, but Alex was still typing away, eyes fixed on the computer. Why don’t I want him to see? John wondered, I want him to help me. John wasn’t sure. Maybe it was that he didn’t want Alex to be right. Maybe he did want to stay awake. The answer was unclear. John got to work again, still listening to Alex’s humming. His eyes began to g=close, his shoulders drooping. He struggled to stay awake, but the past three days had finally caught up to him. His chest hit his chest, but he made no attempt to sit back up. He felt himself slowly falling forwards, but was too tired to care. By the time he hit his keyboard, John was fast asleep.
Alex
Alex woke to someone poking him, “Alex. Alex.” He opened his eyes, the familiar form of John Laurens stood before him. “I can’t sleep.” John told him.
Alex closed his eyes slightly, trying to go back to sleep, “try harder.”
“No,” John said, “I can’t sleep. Alex, it’s been three days and I can’t sleep.”
Alex shot up. Three days. It had been three days and John hadn’t said anything? He couldn’t believe it! “John! You idiot!”
John apologized, blushing.
Alex wasn’t sure what to do. What was it that his mother had always done to get him to sleep? She had made him work on something, and sang a song. Something peaceful, to relax him. That’s what he would do. “Alright John, go grab your computer and bring it back here.”
John turned and left, leaving Alex to think. He began to figure out the tune, turning on his computer as he went. When he had fingered it out, he sat down at his desk and opened a homework assignment. If he was going to have John work, he was going to work too. He began typing away, not noticing John had entered until he heard a cough from behind him.
“You’re back! Good. Now, I assume you have some homework?”
John nodded, “Yes, but how is this going to help me?” He asked, tilting his head.
Alex smirked, “you’ll see.”
John day next to him, opening his own computer and pulling up his homework assignment. After a few minutes, Alex began to quietly him his song. When John didn’t complain, he made it a little louder, more obvious.
As Alex typed, he kept one eye on John. As time passed, Johns fingers became slower, hardly moving on the keyboard. Then his eyes began to droop. Every once and while he’d yawn, his eyes shutting for a moment longer. Alex kept typing, he didn’t want John knowing that it was the music. Alex watched Johns chin hit his chest, and he shot back up. Continuing to type, Alex saw John look to see if he’d seen. He smiled slightly. Continuing his song, Alex worked faster, aiming to get the essay done tonight.
Over time, Alex watched John slowly fall back to sleep. This time when his chin hit his chest, he didn’t move. Eventually, John fell forwards onto his computer, snoring lightly.
Now grinning, Alex stood up again, continuing the song. Gently, he picked John up, cradling him in his arms. John groaned, stirring. “Shhhh,” whispered Alex, “I gotcha.” John pushed his head into the crook in Alex’s neck. As he stood, Alex staggered at bit under the new weight. Quickly regaining his balance, he slowly walked over to his own bed (just in case his roomate DID come back, which wouldn’t happen) and placed John upon it. Since he knew he wasn’t getting back to sleep now he was awake, Alex turned to go back to work, he might as well be productive. As he sat down, John groaned a bit, causing Alex to turn.
“Stay…” John’s voice was barely audible, but Alex heard it.
“M-me?” He stammered, unsure of whether John was talking to him or not.
“Alex,” he rasped, “stay.”
Deciding his friend was more than work at this point, Alex went back to the bed, lying down beside John. A slow smile came across the both of them as John rolled over, his head falling onto Alex’s chest. Alex rested his head on Johns, closing his eyes. As he drifted off, he thought of how this wouldn’t be too bad if it happened more often.