Close to You

Scars

Disclaimer: I own no one!

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Randy glanced to John. The man was sleeping peacefully beside him. It was as if nothing had ever happened to the man beside him. He couldn't believe how lucky he was.

Nothing had ever come out of the mysterious priest. Randy couldn't believe he had survived against the odds. Words could not express how grateful he was to have his boyfriend back.

How did I get so lucky? He thought. John lightly batted him. Groaning, Randy shook his head. John was always a restless sleeper. Swinging his feet over the side of his bed, he shuffled through the quiet apartment.

John immediately rolled over onto Randy's side of the bed. Shaking his head, Randy softly laughed. He was so cute when he was sleeping.

It was amazing what love could do to you. Before John, Randy had been angry and bitter. He had snapped at people under the slightest provocation. Now, he didn't get angry quite so easily. Before John, Randy had frequented bars. Every night, he went to a different strip club, trying to convince himself he was straight. After John, his idea of a night out was sitting in front of a good movie with a pint of chocolate ice cream, while snuggling with John.

John had definitely changed him for the better.

Glancing toward the clock, Randy realized Trish was probably still up. She didn't exactly go to bed early.

"Can't sleep?" Trish sounded wide-awake.

"John swatted me. I'm not complaining though,"

"Grateful to have him alive and well?"

"Who wouldn't be? Restless sleeper and all."

"I see,"

"Is that all you can say?"

"Well, yeah, especially when I'm listening to Chris snore,"

"He snores?"

"Ask John when he wakes up,"

"I plan to,"

"Tell me again. Why are you up?"

"I couldn't sleep. Since John's accident, I don't exactly sleep well,"

"At least, he's alive,"

"I know," Instinctively, Randy glanced behind him. John stood in the doorway. "Hey, Baby,"

"I hope you're not talking to me,"

"John's up. Call you later,"

"Alright,"

"Bye,"

"Bye," Trish hung up.

Randy patted the seat next to him. John maneuvered himself through the clutter of the apartment. Randy was a bit of a packrat.

"Why are you up?" John asked, yawning sleepily. Randy shrugged.

"I couldn't sleep," he said, placing his hand on John's arm. "You barely ate any dinner. Are you hungry?"

"A little. Want to go to the all night café up the street?" John asked. Randy nodded. John moved toward the bedroom.

"Where are you going?" Randy asked, slipping his sneakers on.

"To change," John said. Randy shook his head. Since John, he had become more fun loving and spontaneous.

"Let's go in our PJs," Randy said. John sighed. He knew he was fighting a losing battle.

Because it was three AM, the coffee shop was almost deserted. Randy and John were the only customers. It was peaceful. It was cozy.

Overall, it was romantic.

"Comfortable?" Randy asked, his eyes drifting to John's arm. The skin was mottled beige. Even though he had been stabbed in more vital areas of his body, he had also gotten stabbed in the arms. Defensive wounds, the doctors said.

No amount of plastic surgery would ever fully remove the scars. John hid it as much as he could. People who knew what he had been through stared at the scars. No amount of reassurance by Randy would convince him to show off the scars and be proud of the scars.

The scars showed that John had survived what would have killed a lesser person.

"What?" John asked, tugging down his sleeve. Randy shook his head. He didn't want John to know he had been staring at the scar.

"Nothing," he said.

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I'm back…PERMANENTLY! I've got a laptop and a mind full of ideas. Expect a lot out of the mind of JenLea.

-Jen