A/N: Here I am with another Doug/John Paul fic. This is a two parter, I just haven't written the other part yet, lol. Hope this is ok.

It's hard to try to be respectful to Craig since I never actually liked him or McDean.


John Paul would never get bored of watching Doug. He would often find himself simply staring at him only to have Doug joke about it. He couldn't help it though. From the day he had first seen Doug in the Deli he had loved to watch him. He was gorgeous.

He had the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen in his life. He could stare into them all day and never get bored. He loved how expressive they were. He could tell exactly how Doug was feeling just by looking into them. He loved how they would light up when Doug was happy and how they shone when he laughed.

John Paul also loved his smile. He loved to hear him laugh. Sometimes he would tell Doug daft little jokes with the simple intention of hearing him laugh, the louder, the better. He loved Doug's accent even more. It was wonderful to hear his American tones amongst all the English ones in the village. It made Doug stand out.

Yes, it was clear that John Paul was enamoured with the young American he was currently lying next to in bed.

Doug was sleeping but John Paul had found himself unable to drift off. He couldn't stop thinking about how much his life had changed in just a few months. This time last year he had been with Craig. Now he was living back home with his mother and family with a son. And he was no longer with Craig. If you had said that to him a year ago he would have laughed. He couldn't have imagined his life without Craig. They had fought so hard to be together and he had thought they would be together forever.

He felt Doug stir in his sleep and he rested his arm over Doug's waist. He quickly settled and fell back into a peaceful slumber. John Paul wished he could fall asleep so easily but his mind would not quiet. It's funny how quickly things could change, he thought to himself. He hadn't been looking for any sort of romantic involvement when he first met Doug but here they were. They had fallen into a relationship so easily, something John Paul was not used to. He loved Craig, and he always would, but their relationship had never been easy. There'd been so many secrets and lies. John Paul had waited for months for Craig to admit to everyone that he was gay but he'd hidden it right until the very end. He hadn't even been able to hold his hand in public. Things had changed when they got back together but it still didn't change the fact that it had been so difficult in the beginning.

Doug was different. He was out; he had nothing to hide, especially after Leanne had divulged everything in a blatant attempt to keep them apart. John Paul was able to enjoy the relationship for what it was. He didn't have to lie or cheat or hide. He could kiss Doug in public. He could flirt with him and hold his hand without fear that Doug would rebuke him for doing so.

"You're staring again," Doug's sleepy but beautiful American accent penetrated his thoughts. He hadn't even noticed Doug had woken up.

"Sorry," he apologised. "Didn't even realise I was. I just couldn't sleep."

"Don't worry about it; it's just hard to sleep when I can feel your eyes burning into me," Doug shifted so he was facing John Paul.

"You're being melodramatic now," John Paul joked.

"Yeah, you're right," Doug laughed as he pulled John Paul in for a kiss.

"How long have you been awake for?"

"Not long but I can practically hear your thoughts going round and round you head so hat'cha thinking about?"

"Huh?"

"You said you couldn't sleep."

"Oh, nothing much."

"It's enough to keep you awake."

"I don't know. I was just thinking about the past."

"Oh," Doug averted his gaze, not sure if he wanted to hear what John Paul was going to say.

"No, not like that," John Paul quickly guessed what Doug was thinking and tried to explain himself. "Honestly."

"It doesn't matter," Doug replied as he turned away so John Paul couldn't see his face.

"I mean it. I wasn't thinking what you think I'm thinking, if that even makes sense. I was just thinking about how different this relationship is."

"Oh," Doug said again; the inflection different, less upset and more embarrassed. "Sorry," he apologised as he turned to face John Paul again. "It's just with after everything with Ste…"

"…You don't want to go through that again," John Paul finished. "I know, I get it."

"Sorry," Doug apologised again.

"Don't be," John Paul leaned over and kissed Doug before resting his head on the pillow.

"It's just that sometimes I get lost in my own head and I get hung up on stuff that really shouldn't bother me."

"You don't have to worry about it. I really like you," Doug just lay there and let John Paul's words sink in. After a moment John Paul broke the silence. "You know, I love watching you."

"I had noticed," Doug smiled.

"You're just so interesting."

"No I'm not."

"You are. You're interesting and you're gorgeous."

"Really?" Doug asked, smiling shyly.

"Yeah, thought so from the very first time I saw you. Mind you, I did get a really good view of your arse that day so how could I not think you're gorgeous."

Doug laughed loudly. "It's a good job I like you, Mr. McQueen, or I might find that last comment very offensive."

And there it was again, the bright sparkle in his beautiful blue eyes. The look that sent electric shocks through John Paul's heart and made him smile. "Are you tired?" John Paul asked as he kissed Doug's neck seductively.

"Suddenly, not so much," Doug grinned as he ran his hands through John Paul's hair and pulled him close, kissing him deeply.