This is a bit of writing for my English class. not exactly kylo ren related but Alex was modeled after Adam driver soo....yeah?
Warnings: cursing, Alcoholic, Alcoholism
The harsh taste of alcohol swirled with the old cigarette on my tongue as I scanned the dark shifty bar. Two men hunched greedily over the stained wooden bar, both of them intoxicated and unable to do anything but cry. It was a sight to see, two large men, crying openly in a bar but it was far more common here. I found this hole in the wall, known as ‘La Muerte Ael Amor’, 4 months ago, when i failed my art history final. I’ve been visiting every weekend since.
Moments like this, watching the two men weep over each other, made my stomach churn. Not because it was...different because i never had anyone to care about me and in return, i don’t care about others. Well, maybe one person, but that’s it. I finally pulled my burning eyes away from the two men, feeling a bit guilty for staring, and looked down at the glass in my hand. My knuckles were white, i gripped the cup hard enough that it might shatter. But no, i couldn’t, breaking things is not a good way to cope but drinking is apparently. I left my lonely table in the back corner of the bar and headed towards the front. From back there i had the perfect view of everything, everyone coming and leaving.
“Hey, Barkeep. I’ll have a Sunset and Coke when you have a chance,” i placed the exact change on the bar top and waited. It wasn’t too long until the glass was thrown in front of me and i pulled out a barstool, already putting the fizzy glass to my lips before i sat down. The sweetness of coke did nothing to soothe the burning taste of the rum but the pain was well worth it. The pain was nice, it made me feel in control in the few moments i wasn’t, it reminded that i was still alive.
The bar was flooded with the sound from the street as someone entered the bar and i glanced back quickly. She looked young but not that young? The quick glance told me a lot about her. The way her shoulders were tight and of course her reddened face, were dead giveaways to her distress.
“Welcome to club darling” i muttered silently under my breath as she approached the bar, trying to order a drink. She stumbled over her words here and there but eventually got a fruity drink. From the corner of my eye, i watched her take a slow hesitant slip of the red drink and her face immediately scrunched up. I scoffed to myself as she began to cough violently. Poor soul, what drove her here? I carefully observed her, making notes of her behavior before i finally approached her.
“You’re not 21, are you?” i accused with a whisper and she jumped.
“What makes you think i am not?” She retorted, her arrogance was practically seeable.
“You’re alone, at a random bar in Brooklyn, ordering a drink you can’t handle- You’re not 21 and you’re not an alcohol person,” the increase of the red on her face told me i was right.
“Why are you here?” i asked as i took her drink and sipped it.
“Not legally,”I rolled my eyes. “Why are you here?”
“None of your concern,” The girl snarled.
“It is my concern because i know you don’t want to end up like me, hiding here, drowning your sorrows in spirits,”
She stayed silent, i clearly struck a chord with her.
“Listen, you don’t have to talk to me but just to ease your mind, who am i going to tell? I’m a random girl, at a random bar that you’ll never see again. Spill it,” My voice purred lowly, convincing her to trust me...it worked. She took a deep breath, still staring daggers at her drink that i took.
The girl next to me took in a deep breath and let it out slowly before she finally looked me in the face.
“My life isn’t great and recently things have just gotten harder,”
“No life is great. Why did you come to a bar?”
Her face turned impassive and her eyes burned into the wall past my head.
“I everyone around me seems so at ease with they drink...they say it takes the edge off and it can heal broken spirits,” the girl’s face hardened, holding back her emotions.
“This isn’t the river of healing everyone claims it to be if anything this is where people come to be baptized in the name of alcoholism. This is not your answer sweetheart,”
“Then this isn’t you answer either,” She shot back and i felt a sharp pain in my chest. She was right, this was no one’s answer.
“That doesn’t matter, I’ll get out of this eventually but until i do, it’s my duty to keep others from falling,” my hand rested on her shoulder as our eyes started to water but no tears fell. A long hour dragged on as we talked about her life, not mentioning mine.
“It’s late and I have an exhibition in the morning. Here is my number, and a free entry ticket. If you need to get out of your house or a situation come swing by. You’re more than welcome to and feel free to message me whenever”I smiled at her and she looked up again. She wanted to cry but she wouldn’t, she was stronger than tears. “Get the hell out of here before you get noticed,” I chuckled and she got up, her stance changed from when she entered. Her shoulders now relaxed and i sensed her resolve. The girl left quickly, venturing back into the busy city street.
About an hour later i closed my tab and headed out the bar. I stepped out into the street and the darkness in the night swirled with the poison in my veins. The walk home was cold and slow, slower than it normally is. I didn’t want to go home if you could even consider it to be a form of home. The apartment itself did not feel like home but the warm body and loving brown eyes did feel like home. Finally, i reached the worn red door and carefully climbed the stairs to the top floor. By now the liquor had numbed the darkness growing in my mind but as i reached my door, a streak of light shined from under the door. Great, Alex waited up for me.
“You went out again, without me,” his heavy voice said as he sat on the couch, only in his boxers, looking at me with passiveness. I expected him to be fuming but instead, i was greeted with patience and understanding. It made me sick.
“I don’t want to hear it, Alex, I want to be alone,” i muttered but he got up, coming very slowly, deliberately taking his time until he was standing in front of me. Alex was taller, a lot taller than me, and he was incredibly smart- unlike me but we both chose creative careers. I’m an illustrator while he is a photographer, an interesting photographer to say the least. We started dating 2 years ago and moved in together about 9 months ago. It was unconditional love between us but love is still foreign to me. Luckily, i had the most understanding patient person in the world.
“You want to be alone but you don’t need to be alone,” Alex was chest to chest with me, his large hand gently pushing hair from my face. He was the only person who could see through my bullshit.
“I drank a lot,” i admitted, a blush creeping to my cheeks.
“No it’s not, i shouldn’t be this way, not at this age,” i huffed and went to turn away but his hand caught my waist.
“It’s ok to struggle with coping and i agree, you shouldn’t be an alcoholic at this age but i am here to help you,”
I growled in annoyance at his place.
“Please, let me help you,” Alex pleaded, and i placed my hand on his bare chest, ready to shove him away from me but i stopped. I needed help, i needed it badly but i don’t want to destroy what we’ve built over the past years.
“I helped someone today...a girl who was going to follow my path,” my words snapped the heavy silence around us. “She was 18, snuck into the bar but before she could have a drink i stopped her. No one should go down this path,”
“Than why did you go down this path?”
“Because i didn’t know any better! I didn’t have anyone to guide me!” my voice exploded and i shoved Alex away. “I never had anyone tell me wrong from right!”
“Lu, please don’t do this,”
“Don’t ‘Lu’ me,” i snapped and i could see Alex growing with frustration. “I’m sorry, I just...had a moment tonight and I’m coming to terms with a few things,” my anger had extinguished instantly. I hated to see Alex angry and Alex wasn’t a violent person, he’s quite, sweet and overall passionate.
“You scare me, Luna, i hate seeing you so distressed. It hurts when i feel you leave at night and i know where you’re going. I desperately want to go with you but i can never bring myself to do it,”
Tears welled in my eyes and i tilted my head back.
“Crying is weakness and weakness is a failure. I can not fail and i cannot cry,” my voice was raspy but Alex gently pulled me into an embrace. And with the firm, loving hug, my composure shatter instantly. Tears flowed from my eyes like a freshly broken dam. It’s been a long time since I’ve shed tears but in all honesty, i rather cry in his arms than to be alone. “I’m so sorry Alex,” i cried and he brushed the tears from my eyes.
“Don’t apologize to me, you have nothing to be sorry about-”
“I have so much to be sorry about. I’m sorry you’re stuck with me. I’m sorry I’m not a functioning adult. I’m sorry I'm not good enough-”I stopped suddenly as he began to chuckle. “This is not funny Alex!” i cried but watching his goofy face contort into a large grin made my tears lessen.
“You think I’m stuck with you?” Alex was now laughing. “If there is any person in this world that I’d choose to be stuck with, it's you Lu. You are everything i want and more,” his soft voice seemed to float in my ears.
“Yeah...that was pretty stupid of me to say,”I shrugged my shoulders, trying to relieve the tension.
“Come on love, you have a gallery showing tomorrow and you need to be well rested-” his eyes fell on the clock. “Oh,” was all he said
“Yeah, it’s 5am. The gallery opens at 10am,” i giggled the numbness receding from my veins and i suddenly became aware of how tired i was. “But that doesn’t mean i have to be there at 10am,”I yawned, my hand grabbing Alex’s as i pulled him to our room, ready to sleep soundly because with he would be at my side.
It’s noon and i am far more tired than i could imagine but it didn’t dampen my unusual positive mood.
“Wow, look at you wearing a dress,” i heard the silky voice of Alex purr from behind me.
“It’s a special occasion but what are you doing here? You should be doing your study,” i chastened but his smile didn’t fade.
“I am doing my study,” Alex smiled widely, his freckles scrunching with his laugh lines. “On you,” his addition caught me off guard and i stared at him, silent. “Is that bad? Should i not do it for you. I thought maybe-” i stopped his rambling with a wave of my hand.
“I’m very excited to see what you will do,” i leaned up on my tip toes and kissed his cheek but my eye caught a familiar face entering the gallery. “I’ll talk to you later babe,” i patted the cheek i kissed and left him. “Hey Lynn,”I greeted with a smile...
The apartment was an abyss of black before Alex flicked on the lights but once the darkness was chased away, the destruction was visible. But among all the chaos between the ripped up couch and shatter glass was a perfect bottle of clear Patron, sitting neatly with an undisrupted vase of grey roses on the kitchen table. Alex stopped me from moving as he went ahead to read the red note card wrapped around the neck of the bottle. I know who it was from, i know why it’s here. i so badly wanted to run forward, snatch it from Alex’s hand and drink it whole. My cheeks burned and my stomach churned violently but with my fist clenched i stood my ground. I couldn’t hear what Alex was saying but he wasn’t happy. He dumped the flowers and threw the card out before he looked at me as i stared at the bottle. I took careful steps forwards and Alex was saying something along the lines of “Resist it Lu” or “You’re stronger than this” but as my hand touched the cool glass his voice disappeared. my mind spiraled into its darkest corner and every reason to why i should chug this whole bottle came thundering into my consciousness.