TRIGGER WARNING: Pretty much all main triggers ♡

     Alex wiped the blood from his nose with his sleeve. "Yeah, yeah, take him away, officer!", He shouted.
    The police officers shoved Alex and Charles into seperate cars....

F l a s h
F o r w a r d
T w o
M o n t h s

     Alex stepped onto the pavement and blocked the sun with his hand.
      "God-..", He looked at his scars on his wrists. He quickly pulled his arm down and yanked at his sleeve.
     "Dad..", Millie, Alex's daughter, glared, poking her head out the car window.
      "Millie...", Alex gave her a soft smile and climbed into the car.
      "You had to fight him?", Millie said, slamming her hands on the dash.
        "He was being insulting and had to learn a lesson.", Alex looked away from her.
        Millie shook her head in disbelief, "And the cuts..I thought you were doing okay?!?!"
        Alex rolled his eyes and got out of the car, slamming the door behind him.
       Mille climbed out after him, "TALK TO ME, DAD!!"
      "Or should I not even call you that..."
      That pinched a nerve for Alex..
       "I'm sixteen. Mom's dead..you are always in custody for something. Did you even know I'm pan? Did you even know I have a girlfriend? No...", Millie whispered.
      Alex spun around slowly, "Girlfriend...?"
      Millie pulled up a photo of her phone and showed him.
     "You guys look close..how did I know about this?", Alex asked.
       "You always were wanting to talk about the mishaps that went on in the center. How someone tried to smuggle their pet bunny in or something. I wasn't a big concern.", Millie bit her lip, anxiously.
      Alex nodded, the weight of guilt being pressed onto his shoulders. He gripped the door handle.
     "I'll try..for you.", Alex winced against the sun.
      "Please. I need a parental figure in my life..", Millie drove them to the library.
       "Do you mind if I get some books? I just joined middle college.", Millie put on a fake grin.
      "You are doing so much better than I ever have. I'm proud of you, Mil.", Alex gave her a quick hug and they walked inside.
       Inside, it was empty except for them and a few stragglers.
       Two little girls giggled over a picture book in a corner. A young man with curly hair and circular glasses studied a laptop screen at a table. A old man was browsing the magazines.  
      Millie went up to the desk, "Oh, Dad, you might want to get a book or something. It might take a minute."
       Alex sighed and slumped into a green sofa.
         The man at the table glanced at him with a smile, "Hello."
      Alex threw up his hand weakly, not making eye contact.
       "I'm John. John Laurens.", John got up, revealing his gay pride shirt.
       Alex looked at him, "And I'm uninterested."
      Millie gave Alex a short death stare and Alex exhaled sharply.
     "I'm Alexander.", Alex said.
       "I'm sorry to intrude but...I saw some scars on your wrists...", John sat delicately by Alex on the sofa.
       "Yeah. My cats suck.", Alex buried his hands in his jacket.
         "Those aren't from cats are they...", John slowly reached out to Alex's wrist.
          "Whatever. It doesn't matter.", Alex got up and walked to Millie, who was still talking with the librarian.
        John sighed and followed Alex, "It's not good. And we both know that."
       Alex shoved him away and John stumbled back onto the floor.
       "I don't care if you kill me. I won't let someone hurt themselves or be in pain. Why don't we talk over a coffee?", John offered, wiping the dust off his khakis.
         "Go, Dad. I lived without supervision for most of my teen years, I'll be okay without you for a few more minutes.", Millie pulled out her library card.
      Alex reached out his hand to help John up, "Alright. One coffee. "
    John smiled and zipped up his jacket.  They walked next door to the coffee shop..

     Alex made his way to a booth, and John ordered two coffee's.
       "Thanks.", Alex mumbled, warming his hands with the cup.
       "No problem..do you want to talk about those..", John slowly slid Alex's sleeves up a bit.
        "I have trust issues.", Alex pulled away.
         "That's okay.", John sat back and sipped.
          "Why are you doing this..", Alex studied John's face. Soft. Kind. Loving..
         John slung his arm over the back of the seat and messed his hair.
        "Well...I guess I just believe in people..and hope..and love...I don't know...", John stammered, fumbling with his zipper, "And it's a bonus when the person I'm helping is super cute-.."
      Alex felt his cheeks turn red and warm. He reached up to touch his face.
      "I have to go-..", He jumped up, knocking his cup over, spilling coffee everywhere. He ran out into the street, sobbing. Throwing his bag onto the ground, he dropped to his knees.
       Cars sped around him, honking and swerving. Alex didn't care...
       He didn't care about people. He didn't care about himself. He didn't care about life. He didn't care about anything.
      John stood in the window of the coffee shop, watching Alex have his breakdown with a stern look on his face.
      Millie burst out of the library and grabbed at Alex.
      "DAD! PLEASE, COME HERE..", Millie darted in between the cars.
       She grasped his arm and pulled him onto the sidewalk. He collapsed over onto his back, choking on his tears.
     Millie looked around, terrified, unsure of what to do. She caught John's eye..
      Sighing, she wrapped her arms around herself and walked over to the coffee shop.
       "Hey..", She said.
"Hey..", John responded.
   "He likes you..I can tell..He just won't admit that he isn't straight and that he isn't okay.", Millie smiled at John. John let his gaze move past Millie to Alex rocking himself on the grass.
     "He seems like a big ol softie that wants to be seen as a tough hard rock.", John smiled softly to himself.
       "Here's his number..thank you..", Millie gave John a quick hug and rushed back to tend to Alex....