Did you guys think I disappeared? Sorry about that, my day job got in the way (as much as I delude myself that I'm a full time writer, I have a full time job that kidnaps my free time. I'm also getting married soon and that's a free time eater, too. I think next chapter will come quickly though. Thank you for reading and THANK YOU thank you thank you for your reviews, they are my inspiration.

John had been melancholy, not his usual chipper self. Lafayette and Hercules found a place in Hell's Kitchen and they were moving in the morning, a week earlier than anticipated. I was going to move in with John this weekend. In the combination of households it was decided that Lafayette would leave most of the furniture behind and they'd use Herc's and obviously we'd get rid of my stuff and use what was at John's… our apartment. I hadn't all the way come to terms with the loss of autonomy. I'd been on my own for almost a decade and I love John, but I love having my own space to retreat to. To go radio silent for a day or two when I need to get work done or when I'm pissed off or sad. I was nervous to let him see all of those things. I hadn't lived with anyone since college and even that was just a crash pad, I stayed so busy that I never really saw my roommates, not even my college boyfriend. Alone was my normal, and here I was giving that up.

My apartment was in boxes around me, couch already hauled to the dumpster, the handiwork of John and Hercules. I was struggling to focus on my work with John's stream of consciousness text messages flooding my phone. The buzz a steady heartbeat on my desk. I lit a smoke and rubbed my eyes, checking the texts that had been coming in at supersonic speed.

He's all packed.

This sucks.

It looks empty in here.

I think I found the perfect desk for you.

I'm excited for this weekend.

You're stuck with me after that. ;)

Are you working?

Are you made?

*made

**mad

See thia is why I dont use autocorrect.

*this

Sorry. I'll stop texting you. I know your trying to work.

I love you.

I unpacked all of the messages and texted him back.

Sorry it sucks. I bet it's a great desk, just don't waste too much money on it. I'm already stuck with you, aren't I? Yes, I'm working. No, I'm not mad. Autocorrect is your friend. I love you too.

The three little dots signifying him writing his response hit instantly.

What are you working on?

I responded.

Little story about Amazon killing Christmas shopping. Photo request will probably hit your desk by Friday.

… he was typing.

Fun. Are you still coming over to help tomorrow?

I'd agreed to help Lafayette move, even though it was implied that I'd mostly be there to keep John happy and out of the way.

I'll be there. Probably about 9, should I bring some of my stuff?

I'd been taking loads to John's… our apartment, one suitcase at a time. There wasn't too much left. I didn't have a lot to begin with, but it would be less for the movers to contend with on Saturday.

Yeah. See you then. Get back to work. Night.

I sent him a goodnight and tried to calm his mind. Tomorrow would be hard on him.

Sleep did not find me easily. I started at the ceiling, frustrated, everything was changing for everyone. No consistency to cling to, no branch to grab, just the swirl of chaos. I got back up and kept working, hoping that John would get used to my long hours. When it was just us spending time together, it was easier to shirk responsibilities, but full time, I still had shit to do. I'd still keep odd hours, no matter the level of domesticity.

My alarm startled me, I flung myself out of bed and tripped into a box, barely able to right myself. I got dressed and threw some shit in my suitcase, not even sure what I was grabbing. It didn't matter. It was all going anyway. I dressed myself quickly and poured a cold cup of coffee into my travel mug. Tied back my hair and shoved my feet into some Vans. On the subway I sent John an 'on my way' text.

I hauled my suitcase into his… our building, grateful for the elevator, it would be way easier moving Lafayette out than moving me in. When I got upstairs it was ordered chaos, Lafayette was snapping at Hercules to be careful and John was flitting around rearranging boxes and keeping himself busy.

"Hey." I waved to the room.

"Morning, babe." John kissed me.

"Hey." Hercules fist bumped me.

"I am so glad you are here, kidnap John, we could all use coffee, please both of you go?" Lafayette's smile was tight, eyes wide, hair slipping out of his ponytail in a disarray around his face, tight curls stuck to his face with sweat.

"C'mon, that's our queue." I put a shepherd's hooking arm around John and pulled him to the door.

"You sure you don't need me?" John tried to pull away.

"Promise." Lafayette smiled and reached out for John's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"You won't leave until I come back?"

"No, I will still be here."

We left the apartment, John finally accepting my arm around him, nuzzled against me as we waited for the elevator.

"You alright?" I asked him.

He nodded, "it's weird."

"It is, but you're okay."

"It's just, I, well, you get it… We moved here together, big city, big change from his sleepy French town, and well, you've seen where I lived in South Carolina. We made this city ours. I just, it's so different. But I have you, and you know the city even more than me, and we'll have our special places and traditions and stuff."

"We will. It will be good." I hoped I sounded reassuring as I smiled up at him.

The rest of the day was long and taxing, despite the chill in the air, our four bodies ran with sweat as we loaded the moving pod, once the truck picked it up we were exhausted and starving. I volunteered to pick up dinner between apartments, Lafayette refused vehemently, insisting that pizza had to be delivered to and eaten at the new apartment, John agreed that it's a christening ritual. Hercules and I shrugged. We sat in a circle on the floor of the mostly empty apartment and ate our dinner on the floor, pizza in the middle.

Lafayette finished his piece and leaned heavily against Hercules, he'd shed his hoodie and shirt, looking the most pedestrian I'd ever seen him in just a tank top.

"Alright, guys. Let's get this shit over with." Hercules adjusted his headband, looking rather karate kid.

We all grudgingly got up and started the journey down two flights of stairs, John protested the lack of an elevator. I reminded him that elevators weren't the norm, certainly not staffed ones. Laf made a comment that he didn't mind the stairs since it would make his ass look good, Hercules slapped it on the way outside in agreement. I hoisted a side table and watched in terror as John and Hercules finagled the sectional around the staircases. Lafayette watched and swore in French. I couldn't help but chuckle at the colourful bouquet of profanity he was orally arranging. It was long dark by the time we were finished, muscles aching and cramping, fingers numb from the chill, damp with sweat, but cold nonetheless. John and I bid the men farewell and a happy first night and we left, taking the fifteen minute subway ride to our apartment. By this point even I was grateful for the elevator. We threw ourselves at the couch and rested, too tired to move, too disgusted by ourselves to go to bed.

"Just think, we get to do it all over again in two days." John remarked.

"It won't be nearly as bad, there's just a handful of boxes, I'm down to a duffel bag of clothing."

"But you only brought over two little suitcases of clothes." John furrowed his brow.

"Yeah, that's it." I shrugged.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, I have like three pairs of jeans, handful of shirts, couple pairs of sweats and a few hoodies, like 12 pairs of boxers, dozen socks."

He stared in shock, "that's like nothing."

"I'm poor, remember."

"I just… I guess you are?"

"It's not a question, querido, it just is."

"I'm glad you don't have to worry anymore."

I looked at the ground, "I still don't want a hand out."

He was too tired to be properly exasperated with me and just sighed, "Alex will you stop. It brings me joy to spend my dad's dirty, shitty money on you. On us."

That thought helped marginally.

"...okay, need shower." He grumbled and forced himself to stand.

After his shower I took one, finding him in bed afterwards, talking on the phone.

"Do you like it? ...You're sleeping on the floor? Allen wrenches… uh, I'll look. I hope you like it once you have a bed... You guys didn't buy food? Do you want to all go get breakfast in the morning? ...I can go in late."

He was twirling a wet strand of hair around his finger like a high school girl, the rest of the damp curls dripped on his bare chest and down to his pillow. I sat on the bed next to him and retrieved the lotion from his side table, pumped some into my hands and moved his hair to the side to massage his shoulders, he leaned back into my touch, his body relaxing. I could hear Laf monologuing through the phone and took John's lull in conversation as an opportunity to kiss a trail down from his ear to his neck and back, still rubbing his tired shoulders. He pushed against my body and shot a glance at me through his lashes.

"Okay… Good luck. Call me tomorrow… Yup… Good night… I will." He hung up the phone, "you're such a fucking tease."

I laughed into the nape of his neck, running my tongue against his hairline, he shivered, "what are you gonna do about it?" I growled into his hair.

"Probably take some aspirin and go to bed, but I'll have really sexy dreams about you and almost certainly wake up incredibly sexually frustrated."

I stretched my own tired body, "hook a brother up with some of that aspirin, though."

He rooted in his nightstand and produced a small pill bottle. We each took a palmful and then cuddled into each other, too beaten and worn to do anything but hold one another.

"I'm glad you're here tonight." He whispered.

"Me too, and every night." I kissed him in the darkness.