#ahot6

His boys know he’s this horrible little troll, but then he’ll give them this look, this smile, and they know better because his ego’s big enough as it is when it comes to this kind of thing, but they can’t not do whatever he wants.

Whether it’s getting him a drink even though his damn legs aren’t broken or some little trinket – shiny, expensive as hell and absolutely not what they’re robbing this place for, come the fuck on, Gavin. (Something a little more risque, which, who are they turn him down? It would be rude of them.)

Gavin making a comment about Jeremy and Michael’s biceps, and they’re so lovely but really, which has the better set? (And so there is arm wrestling and Gavin >:DDDDD)

Mentions something about Ryan’s whole knife-throwing thing, and then he’s getting a private lesson that may or may not deviate from the subject at hand at some point, which just means he’ll need more of them later on. (>:DDDDDDDD)

A few words here and Geoff’s honor is at stake, just you wait and see Gavin. (>:DDDDDDDDDDD)

Jack is just...look. Jack is wise to Gavin and his little ploys more so than the others – they all know exactly what he’s doing – and just waits with this little smirk to him, raised eyebrows and makes Gavin work for it before he plays along. (Worth it, though. So very worth it.)

And the negotiations, okay.

Gavin all dressed up in his Golden Boy persona, this edge of dangerous to him – he does so like toying with his gold knives, and that gun of his – and all the more tempting for it. (Untouchable, the Vagabond and Mogar at his back, among others, and smug about it.)

All these sweet promises he gives them, if only they agree to the Fake AH Crew’s terms, doesn’t it sound like a wonderful deal, love?

Gavin leaning on the bar, top two buttons of his shirt undone, gold-framed sunglasses pushed into his hair and this little grin to him. That laugh and a cheeky little wink that has the bartender rolling their eyes as some poor soul buys him a free drink.

“Can I talk to him?”

The Dark God regarded him for a moment, his grin stretching Gavin’s face to ghoulish, unnatural proportions, his eyes flat and empty. Ryan must’ve been completely out of it to think for even one second that this could be their Gavin. Jack forced himself not to look away or flinch, even as the Dark God leaned forward. The Dark God wouldn’t do anything. He just had to hold onto that.

“Ryan? Ryan, what happened? Why is Gavin –?”

“He made a deal for… for us. To keep us safe.”

“You want to talk… to dear Gavin?” he asked. It was impossible for Jack to figure out what he was thinking. Gavin was usually easy to read –at least he had been, before he’d come up with this plan. It was just another reminder that he wasn’t here. “And for him to talk back?”

“…Yes.” Jack’s breathing was even, but his fists were clenched. “I… want to make sure he’s okay.” To make sure he’s still there. To make sure he knows we love him. That we’re trying to get him back.

“You don’t trust me?” the Dark God asked. The faux-hurt in his voice was overpowered by his perpetual grin. No, Jack wanted to scream, but even with Gavin’s deal, even though the Dark God had avoided physically harming them so far, he knew that was too reckless. There were punishments that didn’t require pain.

“I can’t help being worried,” Jack said instead. “It’s a… mortal thing, I guess.”

They weren’t exactly mortal, the five (six) of them, but they might as well be compared to the Dark God. For a moment, the Dark God’s expression shifted –his blinding smile dimmed just a little, his head tilted. It was too close to Gavin’s expression when he was being earnest, and Jack was torn, his instincts clashing between recoiling and closing the distance. Smiling at the Dark God was his compromise, trying to look honest in his request. It wasn’t hard.

“Please,” Jack pleaded, because that thing liked it when they begged, liked it when they knew how completely under his power they were. That hadn’t changed since it’d been in Ryan. The Dark God’s expression returned to normal and Jack was certain he’d lost any chance, that he was going to be told no.

“You may speak to him,” the Dark God said, teeth flashing in his constant smile. “But do not bring the others here.”

Before Jack could reply, Gavin’s body collapsed against him.

“Gavin?” Jack shifted, moving so he was cradling Gavin’s body in his lap, watching as Gavin blinked, eyes unfocused.

He wasn’t smiling.

“Jack?” Gavin murmured and Jack couldn’t stop himself –he sobbed, tugging Gavin closer, burying his head in Gavin’s shoulder. Gavin squawked in response. “Jack, that tickles! Jack, what’s going on?”

“He can –he can hear us. Sometimes. But the Dark God, he, he pushes your consciousness away, he makes it so hard to understand what’s happening… He makes it so much easier to just sleep.”

Jack couldn’t reply, couldn’t let go, and eventually Gavin’s arms made their way around his shoulders. The position was a little awkward but Jack didn’t care, just held Gavin tighter while he hushed him.

“It’s –it’s alright, Jack,” Gavin said, confused but trying, and Jack shook his head. Gavin’s shirt was wet where his face was hidden and finally, finally Jack pulled back a little to meet Gavin’s eyes, saw the softness there, the concern. Confusion as well, but all Jack wanted to do was hold him for a little longer. Surely that was better than the conversation he should be having.

“Michael–” Gavin began, and Jack’s head whipped around.

Michael was rushing over and Jack remembered the Dark God’s warning. He frantically gestured for Michael to stay away, he couldn’t let this end already, there were so many things he needed to say, Michael needed to stop.

And Michael stopped, the furious determination on his face replaced with something scared and confused. Jack felt a pang. It felt selfish to keep this moment to himself, unforgivably so, but the Dark God had been clear. Maybe if he was willing to do it once, he’d do it for Michael, as well? Geoff? Jeremy? He could ask afterwards. For now he needed to focus on Gavin.

Gavin who was looking so confused, but adoring –his hand stroked through Jack’s hair and he smiled, not like the Dark God’s smile, something smaller and more sincere.

“Gavin,” he said, and for a moment that was all he could say. No other word could get past the lump in his throat, and it was tempting –so tempting –to let that be all he said. It took far too much effort for Jack to push on. “Gavin, what do you remember?”

Gavin considered the question. Michael, in the corner of Jack’s eye, bounced restlessly, wanting to approach but trusting Jack. Jack would have to pay him back, after.

“Oh,” Gavin whispered. He was shaking and Jack held him, tried to offer what little stability he had. Gavin leaned into him, face hidden in his chest, and Jack needed to be patient, he really did, but he had no idea how long they’d have together before the Dark God returned. He barely heard Gavin over his panic. “Oh, Jack.”

“I’m here, Gavin,” Jack offered, but–

“Jack,” Gavin repeated, “the others– Michael–Ryan?”

“He shouldn’t have done it.”

“He wanted to keep us safe–”

“He wanted to keep you safe.”

Jack hushed Gavin, trying to calm his rapid breathing, the terror in his eyes as he finally looked up at Jack. He tugged Gavin into another hug, tighter, and gestured for Michael to stay where he was again when he saw movement in the corner of his eye. Michael froze, and even in the poor light and the distance between them Jack could see tension running through him. What it was taking him to stay where he was.

“Everyone’s okay, Gavin,” Jack soothed. A slight exaggeration, maybe. “We’re safe. Your deal kept us safe. Ryan’s… Ryan’s okay.”

“My –my deal? Of course, my deal, it worked…” Gavin mumbled, more to himself than to Jack, but he still clutched Jack’s shirt like a lifeline, still rocked into his hold. “You’re safe… I’m… you saved me?” Gavin asked, and he sounded hopeful, awed, looking into Jack’s eyes with so much vulnerability that Jack wanted to say yes, yes, you’re safe, you’re home, you’re okay.

But that would be far too cruel.

“No, Gavin,” he confessed, and Gavin’s face fell into something frighteningly blank. “The Dark God is still… We’ll figure something out, I promise.” It was all Jack could think to offer, and he hoped Gavin wouldn’t see how empty the words truly were.

“No,” Gavin whimpered, and any plans Jack had, any encouragements, any questions, flew from his mind. “No.”

“Gavin–”

“You can’t get him to leave, Jack,” Gavin said, breath hitching, “He’ll hurt you.”

“We can, Gavin,” Jack tried, but he wasn’t even sure Gavin heard him.

“It was worth it,” Gavin whispered. “You’re all safe, it’s worth it.”

Jack had no response. Agree and Gavin would be convinced his suffering was worth it, that this was okay, disagree and he risked pushing Gavin further into whatever spiral he was trapped in. He looked at Michael helplessly, not that the other man could do anything, especially when he couldn’t even approach them.

“You’re safe,” Gavin repeated.

“But you’re not,” Jack insisted, shaking his head. Gavin smiled, a small, tired expression that was almost scarier than the Dark God’s manic grin.

“It’s okay, Jack, I’m… I’m at peace.”

“He said… he said Gavin was at peace.”

Jack tried to recall a time where Gavin might have said something like that. Tried to recall any moment where Gavin might had given up so completely, where Gavin would talk about himself as if he were already dead. But already his grip loosened on Gavin’s body, and he couldn’t hide his expression of crumbling hope –hope that disappeared entirely when Gavin smiled. So wide it nearly split his face in half, and his eyes returning to the flat look that Jack was becoming far too accustomed to.

“You figured it out, huh?” the Dark God asked, poking Jack on those nose as his hands fell to his sides. “Clever Jack!”

Jack stayed where he was as the Dark God stood, returning to his seat on the wall. Jack wondered what an appropriate response to this was. Anger, probably. Michael would be furious. Was furious, if the way he stormed over was any indication. But Jack couldn’t find it in himself to feel anything. Anger was washed away by sadness was washed away by grief, until there was nothing left at all.

“Why?” Jack asked, because it seemed like the right thing to say.

The Dark God shrugged. “I wanted to see if I could. You all talk so much about Gavin. I’m impressed you figured it out so quickly.” The Dark God swung his –swung Gavin’s legs, kicking the wall with his heels each time. “I’ve never tried to be my host before. Gavin’s offered me a lot of new experiences. And you’re all supposed to know him so well, right?”

“Then why not let me talk to him?” Jack screamed, and there, there was the anger, letting him rise from his knees. Michael was at his side, prepared to run at the Dark God but Jack stopped him with an arm thrown in front of him, and the Dark God was unfazed. “Why not let him out, for two fucking minutes–”

“I don’t think you understand, Clever Jack,” the Dark God said. Gavin’s body stood up on the wall, his deep green cloak twirling around him, before he leaped and landed right in front of Jack. “This body is mine.”

And Jack wanted to scream, wanted to snarl and yell because that wasn’t true, but he couldn’t. He tried to say anything at all, but he couldn’t. Beside him, he could hear a strange, strangled sound –Michael, too, was affected by whatever was happening.

The Dark God laughed.

“I know it’s hard for you to accept,” the Dark God said gently, one hand stroking through Jack’s hair, “it’s a big change. But you’re mine. I don’t share.” Jack couldn’t move, couldn’t look to meet his eyes –could only see Gavin’s hair as the Dark God whispered into his ear, and beyond that, Ryan’s door opening.

“You can miss Gavin all you want. You can enjoy time with your friends. I want you to be happy,” the Dark God said, and Jack felt the words more than he heard them, breath ghosting over his ear.

Jack felt oddly cold as the Dark God stepped back.

“And trust me, Jack.” The Dark God still smiled, but his voice was pitched low, oddly serious. “Talking to Gavin right now won’t make you happy.”

And then he was gone, and Jack could move again –or at least, he was free to drop to his knees.

Michael dropped beside him and scrambled to close the distance between them, grabbing Jack’s shoulders and trying to force their eyes to meet but Jack didn’t want to, didn’t want to admit he’d been so desperate to fall for a stupid prank played by a cruel god, didn’t want to answer the questions Michael and the others would inevitably have. He heard Ryan calling, and Geoff and Jeremy emerging from their rooms, confused, and it was all too much and Jack allowed himself to hide in Michael’s shoulder.

Michael made a soft noise as he found himself supporting Jack’s weight. There was a pause where Jack was certain he’d keep asking questions. He didn’t. Only pulled Jack closer and rested his chin against Jack’s shoulder, talking to the others. Jack was too tired to pay attention to what was being said.

“We’ll figure it out, Jack,” Michael promised, guiding Jack to his feet. “We’ll get him back.”