-John's POV-

"So, you and Alex, eh?" Lafayette's distinctive accent broke through my daydreams, mostly involving kisses and Alex, Alex, Alex.

I ducked my head sheepishly, feeling heat creep up onto my cheeks even though I couldn't stop a wide grin from spreading across my face. "Yeah."

Hercules came up behind him, a hand coming to rest not-so-subtly on Lafayette's ass and I remembered that there was no way they were judging me for being gay because that would be insanely hypocritical.

"If you hurt him…" Angelica warned from behind me, leaving the rest of the sentence to my imagination. I imagined something like what happened to Jefferson- that was not pretty.

I nearly broke at the idea of hurting Alex. At all. Ever. In any way. "I won't," I blurted quickly. "If I do I swear you can kill me." I meant that.

We were walking towards the café where we always hung out and Alex popped out from his classroom as we passed.

"No one is killing anyone else. Especially John. Nobody touches John." I blushed and giggled like a schoolgirl as he slipped his arm around my waist and gave me the softest kiss on my jaw.

Angelica shrugged at Alex as Hercules clarified, "We were talking about if he hurts you."

Lafayette added, "As friends, it would be our job to avenge you." Alex laughed at their casual-dramatic assurances and pulled me closer to him. My arm looped around his shoulders, my hand resting on his bicep.

"If John hurts me, I will thank him for giving me the happiest days of my life before… whatever."

I pulled him around to me, kissing him deeply. My entire body was swooning at how utterly sweet that was, cheesy or not.

"You two are too much," Angelica laughed. "You do realize your students are watching you."

I didn't care, I wanted to keep kissing Alex forever, feeling his hands grip my waist just a little tighter as I traced his shoulder blades through his shirt.

"Jared is… how you say… fangirling." Lafayette observed with an amused chuckle.

I pulled away gently, a light laugh bubbling in my throat as I felt Alex do the same. Obviously, we both felt we needed to see this.

Jared was jumping up and down, squealing things that I couldn't understand because his voice was so high. When Evan noticed us watching, he quickly ducked his head, grabbed Jared's hand and tugged it nervously. Jared shrugged and looked back at us like he didn't give a damn that he was staring. He probably didn't.

Then he looked down at his and Evan's hands.

Alex laughed outright at the blush and bashful smirk that Jared developed, but I was looking over at the cafeteria, where Mr. Heere was giving me an exaggerated wink as though he was a protective father of sorts.

Actually, I wouldn't mind that.

"Come on," Angelica urged playfully, "Let's go."

So we do.

-Alex's POV-

I loved this. Having John's arm around me, spewing cheesy romantic declarations, walking and talking with my friends, seeing my students happy for me, breathing in the fresh, clean air, being alive. I never thought I'd feel that way, not a hundred percent, but I was beginning to consider it a tangible possibility, hovering right there. It was but a few steps away. I would get there.

Someday, someday.

Herc made a strangled growling sound in his throat, and I followed his gaze across the street.

Jeffershit.

But today he wasn't glaring at me like I was the end of the world- he was looking at James. Not with want and possessiveness that he used to. Instead, he gazed at James with admiration and wistfulness.

He almost appeared self-depreciating.

John began to slip out from my arm, making to cross the street, but I grabbed his hand and did something I never thought I would. "Leave it alone," I murmured. Laf, Herc, Angie, and John stared at me as if I'd gone crazy.

"...The fuck?" Laf eyed me as though I had spoken with incorrect grammar.

They needed convincing. "Look at James," I offered, "he isn't following Jefferson like a lovesick puppy anymore- if anything, he has more leverage in their friendship than Jefferson does, and we all know James. We've all seen him change and get smarter with what he chooses to do in the last few days. He wouldn't be doing anything with Jefferson unless Jefferson really changed or is truly attempting to do so. James is past that, right?"

"Oh, thank god," Angie remarked with mock relief. "I thought you lost touch with your mile-long explanations for a few days there."

I laughed and gave Angie a playful shove as we stepped into the coffee shop.

"You ain't got no skills!" I nearly yelled, feeling too happy to just talk as John slipped back into my arm and pressed a kiss to my temple.

"Alex!" Peggy, Maria, and Eliza screeched together. I gazed at them in confusion as they began talking over each other. I couldn't catch a word of what they were saying.

I scanned the shop and caught Sally's eye. She shrugged.

"Peggy-!"

"They're-!"

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, ok, so-"

"No one else was in the room where it happened, but-"

Sally spoke up and the three girls fell silent. "Peggy and I are…" she cast a shy glance at Peggy, and my jaw dropped. "Dating."

"Oh my god!" Laf practically squealed.

John was gaping beside me and I had to snicker, "Close your mouth, John, we are not a codfish." The entire coffee shop groaned.

"Mary Poppins, Alex?" Maria smirked.

I shrugged defensively. "It's a classic! And anyway, you all know I quote classic movies periodically, so you shouldn't be surprised."

"He does," John blurted, before turning bright red and burying his face in my neck.

Everyone else just stared, puzzled expressions on their faces.

I let my fingers tap lightly on his ass, and since his ear was already only a couple inches from my mouth, I leaned over just a little and whispered, "As you wish."

John uttered the most shrill shrill squeak I had ever heard, and gave my neck an open mouthed kiss in retaliation. It worked, since I gave an involuntary shiver and blushed hard enough to easily compete with John's.

"Jeez, guys, take your porn show somewhere else," Eliza reprimanded, ever the innocent one.

John pulled back and I pouted, a counter argument already gathering on the tip of my tongue. "If I do recall, Laf and Herc were even worse when they initially became a couple, seeing as they spent half their time together feeling each other up in public. Besides, it isn't as though you and Maria are any better, right?" Eliza opened her mouth to protest, and I added quickly, "Taking into account the fact that I only spent two hours a day average in this shop and you guys make out at least three times everyday during the time I'm here, you can't possibly be better than us. After all, John and I spend our work hours is separate classrooms."

Laf snorted. "Except for when you make out in the hallway."

John spluttered, "You saw?"

I protested at the same time, "That was once!"

Angie shot herc and Laf a pointed look. "At least John and Alex don't have people sleeping next door to their dorm."

John gaped, covering his face with his hands. "Oh my god."

I reckoned he'd easily compete with Eliza's spot as most innocent.

I nudged him suggestively. "Yeah, definitely a good thing."