"So you're a librarian, too?" Thomas asked Alex once he got back from work. Alex sighed.

"Y'know, I could have a more embarrassing job. I could be a stripper or something. You have no right to laugh at m-" Thomas cut Alex off before he started ranting even more.

"Alex, it's fine. I don't care that you're a librarian. Even though it is kind of funny," Thomas said, smirking. Alex rolled his eyes, smiling a little. Then his face fell.

"Listen, if you run into my friends, please don't tell them that I'm working two jobs. They... worry, and I don't want that," Alex pleaded. Thomas nodded.

"I can do that," Thomas said. "Also, what do you want for supper tonight?" Alex raised his eyebrows.

"I can find something for myself, Thomas. You don't need to get me food," Alex told him. Thomas shook his head.

"Considering you told me that you have gone for days without eating, then I don't believe that for a second. What do you want?" Alex knew from experience that Thomas was persistent, if nothing else. He sighed.

"I'll honestly eat anything. When you're near starving then you aren't normally too picky," Alex said. Thomas nodded.

"Then we're getting pizza," Thomas declared. He looked at the clock. "It's like 4:30, so let's wait for a while." Alex nodded and looked at the couch.

"I'm going to nap until the food is here. I haven't gotten much sleep the past couple days," Alex decided. He moved towards the couch, but Jefferson stopped him.

"Hey, why don't you use my bed? It's more comfortable, and I can do more work and stuff out here," Thomas offered. Alex, suddenly feeling too tired to argue, simply nodded his head and walked into the bedroom. Thomas felt kind of guilty. He wished he had an actual bed for Alexander, and not just a crappy couch. He thought about it for a second, then shook his head.

What was he doing? Him and Alexander hated each other; they always had and they always would. He had no reason to feel guilty. If anything, Alex should feel guilty towards Thomas. After all, he was invading Thomas's home and life. But, even after telling himself this, he couldn't shake the lingering guilt in the back of his mind.

About 20 minutes later Thomas decided it was a reasonable time to order the food. He ordered one half Hawaiian and one half cheese, not knowing what Alex liked and not wanting to wake the poor guy up. It was another half an hour or so before the food actually arrived, and Thomas went to get Alex.

"Hey, Alexander, food is here," Thomas said, gently shaking him. Alex sighed and got out of bed, stretching and yawning.

"Do you have any bottles of water?" Alex asked as they walked over to the food. Thomas nodded.

"In the fridge," Thomas directed the other. Alex nodded and walked over to the refrigerator, stopping at the sight of something hanging from a clip magnet.

"What's this?" Alex asked turning to Thomas. Thomas took a glance at the object, then looked away quickly.

"A macaroni necklace, dipshit," Thomas answered harshly. Alex sighed.

"Well, obviously. I was more asking where it came from," Alex said rather impatiently. Thomas rolled his eyes.

"My little brother, Randolph. Is that good enough?" Thomas asked sarcastically. Alex thought about it for a second and nodded, satisfied with the answer. He grabbed a water from the fridge and went into the living room, following Thomas. They made sparse conversation until Alex got a call from somebody. He picked up the phone sighing.

"Yeah, I'm good. No, I'm not at a hotel. Yes, I am staying with somebody on my side of town. Nobody, just an old acquaintance. Yes, we can get coffee sometime. Yes, I've come to terms with the fact that my apartment is now filled with disgusting spiders. Yup. I know. Yes. Okay, talk to you later, Herc," Alex said, clearly answering plenty of questions.

"I swear, it's like Herc just took the role of being a parent for everybody in my group," Alex said. The two ate in near silence for a little while longer until Alex once again, broke it, while looking out the window.

"What's the forecast for the next couple days?" Alex asked, brows furrowed. Thomas thought for a a second.

"I think mostly clear until Monday or Tuesday, when there's gonna be a pretty big storm," Thomas answered, trying to remember what he had seen without getting his phone to check it. Alex's eyes widened in what looked to Thomas like fear, but he just nodded and stayed silent, eating his slice of pizza, until he got up to go shower and go to bed.

Thomas only had one question. Should he be worried?

Heyy, it's my only fic where I don't feel like the updating for it has gone to shit, isn't that nice

edit: only like one person would have seen this, but i'm so tired i literally posted this chapter without titling it oof