a/n thinking of starting a new book 👀 i'd want to write a few chapters before i publish but 👀👀

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Alejandro's a little worried, he won't lie. First, Kairi doesn't read his text telling him that they've arrived at the airport. He doesn't think much of that one - maybe he's still asleep. They're not due to arrive at his house for another hour after all.

Second, Mattia sends his good morning text, and also lets him know that they're en route to his house now - also left unread and not responded to. Alejandro sees the way his eyes flick to his phone, brows furrowed, so he takes it from him and starts making TikToks with Alvaro and Roshaun in the back. That takes his mind off of things - he had missed those two idiots. They trade stories, talk about old lives and discuss their plans for the week, and Alejandro gets swept up in the chatter.

His excitements peaks when they pull up to Kairi's house and they see Robert arriving at the same time. The boys spend a few moments catching up and they finally knock on the door. Instead of it opening immediately to a happy smiling wasian, they wait. And wait.

"What the fuck is Kairi doing?" Roshaun asks.

Alejandro frowns while the others shrug.

"I'd say he and Mattia are fucking, but..." Alvaro glances to his side where Mattia stands, also frowning at the door, not cracking a smile like the rest.

The door swings open. Alejandro smiles- only for it to drop.

"Sorry boys," Kairi's mum says. "Come in, come in. He's still asleep."

The boys race in, stopping to say hello, and go up the stairs. Robert, Alvaro and Roshaun whoop and yell on their way up, but Alejandro and Mattia glance at each other, following behind.

"Wake up- what the fuck?!" Roshaun yells, having made it to the room first. Robert and Alvaro stand in the doorway, murmuring similar obscenities.

"What the fuck is going on?" Mattia snaps, shoving his way through with Alejandro close behind.

He's lowkey expecting to see Kairi dead on the floor by the way they're all acting. His heart pounds in his ears as he scans the room, then looks down.

"Kairi? Alyssa?" Mattia says, incredulous and very confused. Alejandro can't blame him.

Their friend is lying on the floor with three girls and a guy - at least he recognises two of the four. Kairi looks completely out of it - as does one of the girls Alejandro doesn't know and Alyssa. George and the blonde though look like deer caught in headlights- until the blonde starts giggling, which sets off the rest of them.

He looks around the room and sees the bed completely bare, which only adds to his confusion.

"Last I checked, you were gay," Roshaun finally says, drawing the rest of the guys out of their stupor.

"Kairi's pulling," Alvaro jokes in that way you do when everyone's uncomfortable.

"Bubba, what's going on?" Mattia asks.

That's a good question. What's going on encompasses the several questions going through Alejandro's mind, namely:

Who are the other two girls?

Why are they all on the floor?

Why is the bedding gone?

Why does Kairi look so glassy-eyed?

Why are they all cuddling?

And lastly, what the fuck happened?

Kairi has the audacity to blink at him and shrug.

The asian girl and the blonde start laughing, sharing a look.

"Okay, you caught us!" the blonde exclaims, throwing up her arms in an exaggerated gesture. "We three sexy, sexy ladies converted Kairi with amazing floor sex." She giggles the entire way through saying it, so Alejandro doesn't believe her for a second.

Kairi shushes her and laughs.

The asian girl shoves her friend. "You're gonna make him jealous," she not-so-subtly whispers, then glances over at Mattia.

"How'd you know it was him?" Kairi asks, lifting his head slightly to look.

"Cause he looked like he was gonna throw hands," George pipes up.

Alejandro thinks he should've stayed quiet and prayed Mattia didn't notice his presence, but oh well. His friend stares George down like he really is about to throw hands.

Alyssa opens her eyes and shushes everyone. Loudly. "Some of us are trying to sleep here," she announces, then flops onto Kairi's chest.

Mattia's face scrunches up and okay, Alejandro can see how this is funny now. When he looks back, his friends are also watching with mildly amused grins, clearly enjoying the show.

"Bubba," Mattia tries again, "baby. Kai. Angel."

Kairi lifts his head and gives him a look that says What do you want?

"Please explain."

The asian girl pipes up again. "It is what it is!"

Everyone on the floor copies her, but Kairi sighs at the end. "I gotta talk to them now," he murmurs.

The girls and George exchange another look - furrowed eyebrows and all.

"You sure?" the blonde asks.

"Bella and I can keep cracking sex jokes to change the subject," the asian girl suggests, but Kairi shakes his head. Alyssa turns to give him a quick squeeze, then moves off of him, allowing him to sit up and receive three more hugs.

Now Alejandro's worried again. The giggling has stopped and it's then that he places that look - it's one of concern. He and Mattia used to share it all the time.

That's when he realises he can hear the washing machine going and that's when he spots three baskets of clean laundry lined outside Kairi's room, as well as a plastic bag full of rubbish. He spies an empty bottle of vodka hidden in there too. The wheels turn in his head, the pieces clicking into place, and he feels like he's been winded.

Oh.

He glances at Mattia and sees him slowly figuring it out too as the four friends shuffle awkwardly past, saying goodbye to Kairi as they make their way outside.

"Guys," Mattia says to their friends, "Alejandro and I need to talk to Kairi real quick."

Roshaun, Alvaro and Robert get the hint and with minimal grumbling file out of the room, not before giving Kairi a long hug hello.

Alejandro watches the door close, then turns back to Kairi. The smile has dropped from the boy's face and Alejandro near-gasps with how much it reminds him of last year.

It's that same look of sheer exhaustion. Of hopelessness.

Mattia sees it too because he moves in for a hug, herding Kairi over to the sheet-less bed and lying down with him in his arms. Alejandro joins, holding Kairi tight as he tries not to show how terrified he is.

"How long?" Mattia asks, eyes screwed shut.

"I didn't really go to the movies with Alyssa," Kairi answers, not looking at either of them. "And my mum never left me to take care of Maiya."

"All week?"

There's something about hearing someone's heart break that gets to you. You don't even have to look at them - it's in the way their voice wavers and crumbles. It's in their quietness, their sheer disbelief.

Mattia's heartbreak is so loud in words so small.

Alejandro clenches his jaw and tries not to say what he wants to say.

Why didn't you call me? Or him? Why them?

"I'm getting bad again," Kairi finally admits, voice low and muffled like he's ashamed. "I'm trying, I am but-" He sounds so desperate, like he's trying to convince them. "It's so hard."

"I know, baby," Mattia replies.

"We're staying the week," Alejandro reminds them, "so we'll be here for you, okay?"

"Right," Kairi murmurs.

"Tell us what you're thinking."

Kairi looks up at Mattia and scrunches up his face. "It's- you're not going to want to hear it. It's stupid- even I know it's stupid and that I shouldn't think it-"

"Kai."

"I just..." Kairi pauses. "You two are too good to me. And put up with so much shit. And I can't return that! Half the time, I don't even believe what you say to me - which is stupid because you two are here for me! You're here right now and yet there's always that little voice in my head telling me that you're here out of pity or that you don't want to hear the shit that's coming out of my mouth or that I'm not worth any of this-" Kairi cuts himself off with a sob.

Alejandro and Mattia tighten their grip. "Kai- first of all, and I know you might not believe it now but you need to hear this," Alejandro starts, "you are worth so much. Your worth isn't based on how much you put into the world or how much people love you - and we do love you - but simply by existing, you have worth. If you can see how that's true for other people, then you must know it's true for you too."

"Secondly," Mattia adds, "you're our best friend. Have been for a while. We aren't going to get tired of you and we aren't ever going to leave. We're here now. And I- I should've picked up on it sooner, but we're here for you now. We love you, bubba. That means that we'll be by your side no matter what. You can try and push us away but at the end of the day, we'll be here for you."

"I know," Kairi responds, sniffling a little. "I'm sorry for all this."

"It's okay. Do you want the boys to come back in now?" Alejandro asks. When Kairi nods, he stands up and opens the door. The three take one look at Kairi and pile onto the bed.

Kairi lets out a watery laugh as he's almost squashed to death by his friends. "Don't tell Alyssa and her friends, but you guys give better hugs."

"Damn right," Mattia says, kissing the top of Kairi's head.

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a/n theyre reunited! get ready for a week of shenanigans and more of the boys together (should be more lighthearted than this chapter i swear)