John Paul approached his and Craig's front door. They'd lived in the house Craig had been sharing with his house mates when they had returned to Dublin. After a few months they had scraped together some money and put a deposit down on a flat of there own. They'd moved in shortly after, John Paul had playfully given their new home the title of Their Love nest.
As John Paul slid the key in the door and opened it he didn't feel very playful, He didn't think he'd felt so exhausted in his entire life. He trudged inside shutting the door behind him.
Craig sat in the living room, holding his mobile phone, only just managing to keep himself from throwing his mobile in to the wall in his frustration, John Paul had gone home, he'd text him when he'd arrived at Liverpool Airport, Telling him he'd ring him that night. Craig hadn't heard from him since.
He'd been calling John Paul's phone, growing a little more worried each time he heard the beep of the voicemail, losing a bit of hope each time he didn't here John Paul's voice immediately answering with a cheeky comment that never failed to make Craig grin.
Craig shot out of his seat as he heard the front door slam, turning to see John Paul standing by the front door. He couldn't remember a time when John Paul's looked so worn down. He wanted to launch a million questions at John Paul, where have you been? What happened? Why did you make me worry? Are you okay? Instead he said nothing just walked towards John Paul and gathered him in to a hug.
After a moment John Paul gripped Craig just as tightly back, He was safe now, He was with Craig, He was safe. That realisation broke him, he tried to hold back the cry that forced it's way out of his throat, but he couldn't he screamed and his knees bucked, Craig going down with him, never letting go as John Paul cried, unable to stem the flow of unending tears.
John Paul's sobbing never seized as he told Craig what had happened in that church, never stopped flowing as he told Craig how he'd lost his sister, how he could of lost all of them, how weak eh had felt unable to protect the people he loved.
And through it all Craig kept holding on to John Paul, listening to ever word, tears making his own eyes shimmer as he saw how broken John Paul seemed to be, How hurt, softly rocking him as he cried out all his fears and losses, doing the only thing he knew how to Being there for John Paul, just like he always would be.