Trigger warning: homophobic slurs, mentions of abuse, feels
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John's POV

"I'm coming to visit," he said. "You and Aspen better not still be fags."

I am deathly afraid of my father. When I found out he was visiting I was so scared. Alex asked about the kiss and I couldn't be with him because he would get hurt. I'm not strait, I'm about as strait as a circle. I had to tell Alex I was strait so he wouldn't get hurt. I think I already hurt him, he looked like he was going to cry when I told him. I'm currently crying into my pillow.

Just then I hear the door open, "John? You here?" Aspen.

I walk out of the room, "Aspen, dad is-" I see Peggy and Alex with her. Alex can't know.

"John, can I talk to you in your room for a sec?" Aspen asks.

I nod and we go into Alex and I's bedroom.

"There is only one reason you would tell Alex your strait!" She says firmly, "is he coming here?"

I nod and I see the fear in her eyes.

"You were trying to protect Alex." She says.

I nod.

"John, we should tell him," she says.

"No we would just put him in more danger!" I say grabbing her shoulders.

"He will be terrified if one of us ends up in the hospital because of our father!" She looks at me angrily.

"Aspen, I  can't-" she cuts me off.

"If you don't I will," she says calmly.

"I- fine." She wins every single argument we ever have.

Aspen's POV

We walk out of the room and Peggy and Alex stand up from the couch.

"What's going on?" Alex asks.

"Tell him, John," I say.

He takes a deep breath and turns to Alex, "our father is coming to visit."

"What?!" Peggy exclaims worriedly.

"Is that a bad thing?" Alex asks.

"Yes, Alex," I say. "It is a very bad thing."

"Why?" Alex asks.

John gives me a worried look.

"Show him," I say.

John takes his shirt off to reveal scares up and down his back and chest. As well as some healing bruises.

Alex looks horrified and he walks toward John. He presses his hand to John's chest. John winces even though it doesn't hurt. We both have ptsd when it comes to people touch our backs or grabbing our arms and he has it with his chest. Alex looks up at him. He looks like he is going to cry.

He gentally pulls John into a hug and John sobs into his shoulder.

"Why would your father do this to you?" He asked quietly.

"Should we tell him the story?" John asks.

I nod.

We all sit on the couch, "it all started when we were driving down the highway with our mom..."

Flashback

We drive down the highway, 12 year old John in the front seer, 11 year old me in the sweet behind him, and our 2 year old sister next to me. We are all singing the lyrics to my shot from Miranda an American musical. Suddenly mom's face goes white. John and I look forward to see an out of control semi truck hurtling toward us at full speed. Suddenly she knuckle her seatbelt and throws herself over John blocking me and Mary as well. Everything slowed down, all I could feel was pain. Then it speeds up again. I am on a gurny next to John and I see our mother having a white sheet put over her. Mary died of a broken neck later in the hospital.

Flashback over

"Our father blamed us for our mother and Mary's deaths and started drinking. When he was drunk he would beat John and I." I said, Alex looked at John who was about to cry again.

"Then when we came out as gay the beating weren't just when he was drunk and they got worse." John said quietly, "he also started beating our little brother and sister when he was drunk."

"John tried to focus most of the beating on himself so Henry Jr, Martha, and my self weren't beaten as bad." I say.

"And now he is coming to visit us." John said.

"That's why you told me you were strait," Alex says.

John nods.

"Alex, when he comes to visit you need to avoid John at all costs," I say. "Some how he always knows these things."

"But what if-"

"Please, Alex, I don't want you getting hurt because of me." John says and leans against Alex.

"Fine, but if anything happens you text me and I'll come and get you, got it?" John nods hesitantly.

"This means you'll avoiding Eliza until your father leaves?" Peggy turns to me.

"Yes, I'll explain to her later," I answer.

Later that day

Alex's POV

Aspen and Peggy left after a while and Aspen went to talk to Eliza. I stayed with John the rest of the day, I wouldn't leave his side. He seemed so upset.

"Hey Alex?" He asked suddenly, "you asked me what the kiss ment earlier."

"Yeah," I say.

"I do have an answer for you," I turn toward him.

"Ok," I say and he takes my hands in his.

"Alex, I kissed you because I think I'm in love with you and I told you the reason I didn't tell you earlier." He looks away, "I don't want you to get hurt because I love you, I have know idea what my father would do if he found out about this and I need you to be safe because if you got hurt because of me I-"

I cut him off by kissing him. He melts into the kiss and we pull away at the same time.

I rest my head against his, "I love you, too." He smiles softly and pulls my small body closer to him. We fall asleep like that.
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Ok so next chapter is going to hit some people hard so fair warning. I am so happy so many of you love this series and thank you for all the support. Ily all!
-your favorite weirdo 💚🌺