Warning: nightmares, alcohol, unhealthy eating habits.

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Water sloshed everywhere. The storm howled overhead, thunder crashing down around his ears. Rain lashed at him, waves pulled at him as he clung to his rock. He tried to keep his mouth shut, but the water was inescapable. Salt stung the cuts on his arms and legs, and he let out a small whimper. Suddenly, a giant wave smashed him against the rock, causing Alexander to loose his grip. He thrashed in the water, trying to find his rock again.

But it was no use. It was gone, and he couldn't see anything. It was blacker than squid ink at a new moon. His lungs burned for air until he couldn't take it. He opened his mouth, sucking for air, only to be met with water. He choked, sinking farther down, down, down...

Alexander bolted upright, gasping. He felt nauseous, like he always did after having a nightmare.

He sat there for a few minutes, gulping air, before quietly climbing of bed and grabbing his laptop and getting back into bed. He sat with his back against the wall and turned his brightness all the way down so that John wouldn't wake up.

God, if John found out...

Alex shook the thought out of his head and started typing, every so often looking up to make sure his roommate was asleep.

He fell into his zone. He blocked everything out and just wrote.

After a few hours, it felt like he could breath easier. His mind felt clearer. He shut down his laptop and walked into the bathroom, turning on the light.

"Hey, Charlie, can I borrow your sink?" Alex whispered to the turtle.

The turtle didn't respond.

Alex grabbed his heavy-duty sleeping meds he had been prescribed for when he had nightmares and downed one with a glass of water.

Alex stroked Charlemagne's shell before turning off the lights and climbing back into bed. He fell asleep a few minutes later.

X

"Alex. Alex, wake up."

Alexander sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Wha-"

John was smirking at him. "Dude, you overslept, like, by four hours."

That woke him up.

"WHAT!"

He scrambled out of bed, looking for the clock. "John, what time is it?"

"Um-" John squinted at his watch. "It's like 10 am. Why?"

"Wait." Alex sat back down on his bed. "It's Tuesday, right?"

John nodded, then frowned. "Yeah, why?" He asked.

"Our classes don't start until Monday."

"Yeah, so? Alex, I'm not following you." John chuckled, and started to pull his hair back into a ponytail.

"Why did you say I overslept if our classes don't start until next week?" Alex said, confusion in his voice.

"Oh." John said, and laughed sheepishly. "Whoops. I meant you overslept breakfast."

Alex sighed, then rubbed his face again. There was no point of going back to bed now. And anyways, he had work to do. He slid off of his bed and grabbed his laptop off of his desk.

"What are you doing?" John was watching him from his own bed.

Alex opened his laptop. "Working."

"Working?" John looked at Alex like he had sprouted 6 more heads. "Why the hell are you working now? School hasn't even started yet!"

Alex shrugged. "I like working. Writing. It blocks out the things in my head I don't want to think about." He flushed a deep red. Shit.

Way to overshare, Hamilton.

John gave him a quizzical look. "Alex... I know we just met and everything but... If you ever need to talk, I'm a good listener."

If it was possible, Alexander went even redder. He felt like his face was on fire.

"Uh-thanks, Laurens, really, but I'm okay."

John gave him a look that said he didn't believe Alex, but he let the subject drop.

"Hey, my friends and I are going to a bar tonight. You want to come?"

Alex glanced up. John's face was adorably hopeful. He looked like a puppy who had just been offered a treat.

"Sure. But, uh, who are your friends?"

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. And the knocking didn't stop.

"Ok, ok, I'm coming, Jesus." John grumbled, getting up from the bed and walking over to the door. It swung it open to reveal a tall, burly guy in jeans and a navy sweater, with a knit beanie on his head. Standing behind him was the french dude Alex had met in the hallway the day before, with his hair in a ponytail and hands stuffed into the pockets of his windbreaker.

"Monsieur! You found your room!" The french guy laughed, barging past the other boy and smiling at Alex.

"Oui, monsieur, je l'ai fait." Alex said, causing everyone's jaws to drop.

"You speak French?!" John exclaimed.

Alex smiled and nodded. "I learned it when I was younger."

The French Dude grinned. It was obvious that he was ecstatic that some one else knew his own language.

"Weeeeelllll..." John said, turning back to the other guys. "This is Lafayette," her pointed to French Dude, "And this is Hercules." The other guy smiled and nodded at Alex. Alex smiled back shyly, ducking his head a little.

"Alexander here is coming with us and the Schuylers tonight," John said, grinning.

"Wait...who's the Schuylers?" Alex asked.

"They're sisters." Hercules explained.

"Oh." Alex nodded, even though he still didn't really understand.

"I think you met Peggy, she works at the desk sometimes at the beginning of the year. She likes showing people around, she's a people person," John clarified.

"Oh yeah, I met Peggy!" Alex said happily. "She's cool."

"Yeah, her and her sisters will be going with us," Lafayette said.

"Ok, cool." Alex smiled, but he really wanted to get back to work. His hands itched for his keyboard.

"Well, I promised Herc I would make him cupcakes for lunch." Lafayette rolled his eyes. Hercules poked him in the side. "I want my food."

"I have to go feed my child," Laf said, laughing. "See you tonight." He glanced at Alex, than glanced back at John and winked. John glared at him before closing the door.

Alex payed no attention to the wink. He was already back to writing, his mind consumed with ideas.

He fell back into his rhythm, and before he knew it John was standing in front of him.

"Alex."

"Mmm?"

Alex, did you eat anything today?"

"Go ask Charlemagne," Alex muttered. He wasn't really listening, he was too busy writing.

Suddenly his laptop was yanked out of his hands.

"Hey!" He exclaimed, grabbing for it.

"Alex. Did. You. Eat. Anything. Today?" John asked.

"What? No, it doesn't matter." Alexander snatched for his laptop again, but he was too short.

"Alex, Jesus, go eat something. I'm holding your laptop hostage until you do," John added, smirking. He slammed the lid of the laptop closed and Alex let out a small whimper.

"Fine," he snapped, and reached over to his desk and grabbed a granola bar out of one of the containers he had brought. He ripped the wrapping off and stuffed the whole thing into his mouth, swallowed it, then held out his hand.

"Hand it over."

John rolled his eyes. "Next time you're eating something sufficient," he said, and reluctantly handed the computer back to Alex.

X

"Want to see what kind of trouble we can get into tonight?" Smirked John. They were walking to the bar, which was only a block down from the college, and Alex was trying figure out John's friend group. So far he had been walking next to Peggy, who was holding hands with her girlfriend, Maria. Behind them walked Peggy's sisters, Eliza and Angelica. Hercules and Laf were walking in front of Alex, shoving each other and snickering at dirty jokes, while John rolled his eyes and tried to keep everyone from accidentally walking into the road.

"Oh God, you're going to get hammered aren't you?" Angelica sighed and gave John a look. "You are so going to regret that tomorrow."

"It's a Tuesday, I know how to restrain myself," John argued.

"You absolutely do not."

Alex smiled to himself. He was starting to like these people more and more as time went on.

When they got to the bar, John immediately ordered a pint of Samuel Adams.

"Told you," Angelica muttered to Alex, and he smiled at her. She grinned back at him.

Three pints later, John was grinning across the table at Alexander and the others were missing in action. Alex had no idea where they were, only that he was alone with a very drunk Laurens.

"Soooo... Alexander." John wiggled his eyebrows at Alex. "I have made a decision."

"John, you're drunk. Now is not the best time to make decisions."

"Nonsense," John slurred, and he pulled up a chair next to Alex.

"I have discovered something."

"And what is this something?" Alex asked, scanning the room for any of his friends.

"I have discovered that I like you," John slurred happily, leaning against Alex's arm.

"That's great John, I'm happy for you," Alex muttered. He was still distracted, looking for someone to determine how drunk his roommate was.

"No, I like like you," John grinned stupidly at Alex, who felt frozen in place.

He's drunk, Alexander. He probably doesn't like you at all, not in that way.

"And when did you discover this?" He asked. He could at least play along with this until they got back to the dorm.

"When all of my decisions started to revolve around you."

"John. We've know each other for a day. You can't possibly do that. Plus, you're drunk. Extremely drunk. You don't know what you're doing."

"Mmm, yes I do." John murmured. "Drunk John says the things Sober John is too afraid to say."

"Angelica!" Alex stood up suddenly as she appeared, almost knocking John to the ground. "Thank God you're here."

"Why? What's-oh." She looked disapprovingly at John. "Laurens, I told you not to get drunk."

"Mmm," he hummed happily.

Angelica sighed. "Can you take him back to his room? Eliza's flirting with some sleazeball and I'm pretty sure if I leave she'll get kidnapped or something." She looked at Alex hopefully.

He glanced at John, who seemed to be staring at his fingers in fascination. "Do you think he can walk?"

Angelica nodded. "Yep. I've seen him worse than this. Unless he's puking his guts out or on the floor passed out, he'll be fine."

"Okay..." Alex said wearily. He hauled John out of his chair. "C'mon, turtle man, lets go."

"By Angie!" John said, stumbling as he walked. Alex rolled his eyes.

X

Alex shoved the door to his room open, almost falling over from the weight of the boy leaning on him, and dumped John on his bed. He rolled over and groaned into the pillow. Alex watched him for a few seconds, then went into the bathroom and changed into pajama pants and a sweatshirt. When he came out, John was snoring softly, curled up in a small ball on his bed.

Alex grabbed his computer and sat on his bed, ready to get to work without being interrupted.

"Thanks, Alex." John murmured into his pillow.

Alex looked up and gave him a small smile.

"No problem."