Title: Landslide

Pairing: clusterfuck.

Rating: M

Summary: "Well, I've been afraid of changing, 'cause I build my life around you." Mike dumps Alex. Alex turns to the only person he's got left for assistance. Much confusion ensues.

Disclaimer: I don't own shit.

Author's Note: This actually got started the night of Over the Limit, while I was watching it, because I'd had the idea for a little bit (parts of it) and I finally had the words to make it happen. This is my first chaptered fic that I'm posting in years, so bear with me. I'm gonna try and keep my updates regular, because I've already got this almost all the way done, but bear with me, because I work nights so I lose track of days A LOT. The story starts about a week before Over the Limit. Hope you enjoy. =)

Warnings: None.

Alex Riley is definitely the last person Heath expects to see when he opens the door to his and Justin's shared apartment, especially looking quite so disheveled and sad. His hair is a mess, like he's been tugging on it. His cheeks are bright red and swollen, his eyes still lined with tears. He's wringing his hands almost nervously in front of him, not even meeting Heath's eyes. The redhead lets out a sigh.

"Can I help you?" he asks, his voice bearing a bit of confusion.

"Is-is Justin here?" Alex mumbles, his voice scratchy.

Heath rolls his eyes. Of course, he thinks. He doesn't even bother shutting the door all the way before he turns and yells down the hall.

"Justin! There's a trainwreck at the door for you! Come handle it!"

Justin wanders out from the hall a moment later, curious expression on his face. Heath makes a dissmisive hand gesture towards the front door, disappearing towards his room. The high flyer's brow furrows and he opens the door. The sight before him nearly knocks the wind out of him. He reaches out and takes the younger by the shoulder, beckoning him forth into the house.

"Alex, what's wrong?" Justin asks softly.

Alex won't meet his eyes, so Justin takes his shoulders into smaller hands and forces the taller to look at him. When Alex does, the high flyer almost wishes he hadn't. He looks so...broken. Justin doesn't know what to say. He takes Alex's hand, leading him down the hall and into the safety of his room. He makes sure the door is shut behind them before he tugs Alex into the safety of his arms. The taller crumbles, clinging to Justin like he's falling, like Justin is the only thing keeping him from losing it all. The high flyer's not sure what to do, his arms coming up awkwardly to wrap around Alex as he shakes. The second his hand hits Alex's back, the other is speaking.

"M-Mike, he...oh, God...Mike le...le-left m-me..." Alex eventually stammers, his fingers tightening in Justin's shirt.

For the next two hours, those are the only words Alex manages. Justin's baffled. He can't fathom why Mike would have done such a thing. Everything had been going so well between the two of them! They had been the shining example of a couple, the two that everyone wanted to be! And now...it's just over? Alex is absolutely distraught, shattered over the whole thing. He sobs, holding tight even as Justin migrates them to the bed.

Justin continues holding Alex long after the younger has fallen asleep, exhausted himself with tears. His breathing still hitches in his sleep, however, and it makes Justin ache. He whispers soft endearments into Alex's ear even as he slumbers. Eventually, Justin drifts off as well, his arms around Alex the whole time.

III

When Justin blinks awake, it's to warm breath on his face. With his eyes barely open, he registers someone's lips precariously close to his own, and he startles, sitting up quickly. His breathing evens out when he realizes it's just Alex. Alex, whose cheeks are still streaked with tears, his whole face still swollen from hours of crying. Alex, who is still holding onto Justin's arm, even as he sits up. Alex, who has somehow managed to peel his shirt off during the night. Alex, who looks...pretty fucking amazing right now, all open and vulnerable, but still with an underlying presence of sheer sex appeal. Justin shakes his head, clears the thoughts out. Now is not the time.

He pulls himself up and out of the bed, finding his own shirt where he'd thrown it in his own slumbering, and tugging it over his head. With one last look over his shoulder at Alex, he slips out the door, closing it quietly behind him. He bites back a cringe when he discovers Heath already awake and eating a bowl of cereal at the table. Justin ducks his head down, trying to avoid his best friend's gaze as the redhead looks up at him curiously. The smaller reaches into the cabinet, pulling out his own cereal and a bowl slowly. He turns around and gets the milk out of the fridge. When he turns back to his bowl, he nearly drops the milk. Heath is suddenly right next to him, putting his own bowl in the sink. The redhead about-faces, leaning against the counter with a light smile.

"Good morning." he says quietly.

"Uh, morning, Heath." Justin replies, attempting a smile. He curses his voice for cracking.

Heath shoots him a curious look. The second he opens his mouth to speak, however, they both hear the sound of Justin's door opening. Heath's eyes snap open wide when Alex pokes his head out of the hallway. Justin waves at the sleepy man shyly. Alex just nods before turning and walking back down the hall. Justin refuses to meet Heath's now narrowed eyes as they listen to Alex stumble in and out of the bathroom before finally making it back to Justin's room. Heath waits until they've heard the door close once again to speak.

"What in the hell is he doing here?" he demands, turning to the high flyer with an almost incredulous look.

"Mike left him." Justin tries to explain. It sounds kind of dumb, even to him.

Heath stares at him as if he's waiting for Justin to explain further. When Justin doesn't respond, the redhead motions with his hands.

"And...that's your problem...how?" Heath questions, and the high flyer looks like he wants to object. He opens his mouth, but instead just sighs.

"I'm not really sure." he finally mumbles, looking away again.

"Well, don't you think you should find out?" the redhead pushes, gazing at his friend expectantly.

Justin rolls his eyes, pushing the untouched cereal to the back of the counter and replacing the milk in the fridge.

"Fine, geez, I'm going." he grinds out.

The high flyer stalks off down the hall, muttering under his breath the whole way. When he gets to his door, he throws it open with a cry of Alex's name. It falls short, however, the second his eyes fall on the other. The younger is lying on his back, hands folded behind his head as he stares blankly at the ceiling. He doesn't even look sad anymore, just...empty. Justin cautiously makes his way over and sits down softly on the bed, pushing himself to rest against the headboard. After a few long, silent moments, Alex finally opens his mouth.

"What do you do when your entire world is flipped upside down?" It's said in almost a whisper, and Justin is instantly taken aback. He looks over at Alex with sadness in his eyes.

"I'm not really sure. I guess it would depend on how." Justin responds quietly.

Alex sits up suddenly, scrubs his hands over his face.

"God, he was everything to me, Justin! I lived with him, traveled with him, partied with him...hell, I did his fucking laundry! And it's all gone, just like that. Fuck, my house was his house. My friends are all his friends! I just," Alex has to stop, take a deep breath. He turns his gaze on Justin as he lets out an uncharacteristic whimper. "I don't know what I'm going to do."

The high flyer is at a loss for words. He's never really thought of it like that before, but now that he is, he can see just how desperate the situation is. The two really had been attached at the hip. He can't even imagine how Alex feels now that that connection is severed. It must be terrible. Justin feels the bed shift and looks over at the other quickly. Alex is tugging his shirt over his head, straightening it as he makes his way around the room, grabbing his phone and things.

"I'm sorry, shit, I don't know what I'm doing here. I just, I didn't know where else to go. I mean, I know we're not best friends or anything, or even really close anymore, which is totally my fault. Fuck, I shouldn't be bothering you with this. You don't ca..." Alex trails off, stopping by the door and staring down at his feet. Eventually, he turns to Justin with a smile. "Look, I'm really sorry, Justin. I'll just, ah. I'll be on my way."

Justin stops him as he reaches for the door handle.

"Where are you going to go?" he asks, slipping a hint of curiosity into his voice to mask his own slight fear.

Alex turns back to him with a sad smile.

"I'm not sure." he replies, shuffling awkwardly on his feet. "I don't really...know anyone. Mike said to get out, and I started thinking about who I knew that wasn't Mike's friend first and...you were the only one I could think of."

Justin can't help the way his eyes open wide. Only him? Really? But when Justin thinks about it, it makes sense. That doesn't make it any less shocking. Alex coughs out a laugh and rubs the back of his head nervously.

"Although, I guess we're not really friends anymore-"

"Of course you're my friend, Alex." the high flyer interjects quickly, stifling the sentence before the other can even finish it. "Just because we haven't hung out in a while doesn't mean we're not still friends."

He watches Alex's features soften a bit, his nerves melting just slightly. It brings a soft smile to his own face.

"That means more to me than you know, Justin. Seriously. Thank you." Alex says quietly. Then, he opens the door, turning to exit. "But, uh, I'll be getting out of your hair now."

"Alex, wait." Justin hears the words leave his mouth before he has a chance to really process what he's saying. "You can stay here for a little while if you want."

Alex stops and spins around so fast he has to grab the door frame to steady himself.

"A-are you serious?" he asks, disbelief evident in his tone. "I mean, I don't want to impose or anything."

"No, you wouldn't be. Heath won't mind." Justin vouches, knowing immediately he's putting his own feet in his mouth.

"Are you sure?" Alex questions skeptically.

The high flyer nods, smile spreading across his face. "Of course! I promise, Alex. It's fine."

Before he knows what happened, arms are being slung around him, his face being pulled into Alex's neck. He inhales deeply, his eyes slipping closed as he lets the scent take over for a moment. He snaps out of it as Alex speaks.

"Thank you so much, Justin. You have no idea how much I appreciate this."

The younger's hot breath against his ear heats up his face as well. What in the hell have I gotten myself into? he thinks.

"It's, uh. It's no pro-problem." he manages.

He can only hope he's right.