#garebear

You and Gareth had avoided each other for the past few weeks, him staying over at his other friend, Eddie's, house. It had mostly been you and Jeff in the small apartment, relaxing and relishing the other's presence, playing video games and pulling little pranks on each other. The only thing out of place, the only thing that reminded you of Gareth, was his drums in the corner of the room.

You were lounging in your room, listening to a tape and reading a magazine, when the phone rang. You hopped up and went into the living room where Jeff was tweaking strings on his guitar, trying to come up with a new riff for a song.

Picking up the phone, you put on a cheerful voice, "Hello?"

"Jeff, is she there? I need to come by and get--"

"Gareth?"

Gareth was suddenly hesitant, "Jeff?"

"No..."

"God, sorry. Wrong number."

"Gareth, wait." The line suddenly went dead, dial tone sounding in your ear. "What the hell?"

Jeff was concentrating unnaturally hard on his guitar, not curious about the phone for once.

"Jeff."

"Uh... yeah?" He looked guilty, fingers going stiff and the guitar's gentle notes resonating in the room.

"Does Gareth call a lot?"

"Gareth? What? Pfft, no."

"Jeff! Why didn't you tell me? He lives here too, he should be able to come back without calling first."

"He hasn't really lived here for a few weeks..."

You scoffed, "That's his choice, not mine."

"Well, you were the one who told him you liked him, you know..."

"Yes, Jeff, I know. I was there. But--" You stopped dead in the middle of your pacing-- "Am I making him uncomfortable because I told him I liked him?"

Jeff looked at you and shrugged. "I honestly have no clue."

"Liar."

"No, seriously. I don't know."

"Alright. Well, he should be able to come back. I'm not trying to scare him out of the house."

"Yeah."

"Call him and tell him I'm gone!"

"But you're here."

You stared at him. "Yeah, no shit. Call him."

"Alright, okay!" Jeff scooted his chair over to the phone and dialed a number, his fingers clearly experienced with dialling it. "Hey, Gareth, it's Jeff."

You knelt next to him and pressed your ear to the other side of the earpiece.

"Is she gone? God, man, when she picked up, I thought I was going to die." Gareth's voice sounded less full through the phone, maybe a little sad.

"Yeah, she went to work."

"So I can come over?"

"Yeah, you can come over."

"Great, thanks, man. I appreciate it."

"I'm sure you will." Jeff replied, side-eyeing you.

"What?"

"Just talking to myself."

"I'll be there in ten."

---

You were the first thing Gareth saw when he stepped in, your back to the door and you leaned over the counter. His eyes widened and he looked at Jeff, who looked away like he had no idea you were there, wow, when did she get here?

Gareth made to get back out the door, unsuccessful when you turned around.

"Oh, hey, Gareth." You were nonchalant. "Welcome home." You gave him a small smile and his mouth dropped open.

"Yeah..." He trailed off, pulling his bottom lip into his mouth.

"You back for good or are you going again?"

"Uh. I guess I'm back for good?"

"It's not like we rented out your bunk bed." You teased, padding softly across the living room towards him and pulling him into a tight hug.

Gareth froze then wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you closer, and relaxed into your embrace. "I missed you. I'm sorry I left."

"I missed you, too." You smiled sweetly, going up on your tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Your smile fell as he stiffened, "Oh, I'm sorry."

"No, it's alright. I'm gonna go get my stuff from Eddie's, I guess."

---

You sprawled on the couch, legs slung across Gareth's lap and Jeff's arm around your shoudlers, a slasher movie playing on the TV. You were doing a horror movie marathon to celebrate the prodigal son's return and you were loving every minute of it.

In between movies, Jeff would get up to replenish the snacks, you would get yet another blanket to add to the growing pile, and Gareth would switch the tapes out and complain about how hot it was under aforementioned blankets but he didn't move away from the pile.

Between Friday the 13th and Friday the 13th Part 2, you got up to get another blanket. Jeff went to the kitchen. Gareth stayed on the couch. When you came back, shaking out the blanket, Gareth had thrown all the blankets onto Jeff's side of the couch.

You laughed. "Hot?"

"I'm melting."

"You don't look like a witch to me."

Gareth chuckled and stretched, then stood.

"Hey, where are you going?" You whined.

"I'm stretching."

You rolled your eyes. "Yeah, no shit."

"Then why did you ask?"

"Why not?"

Gareth gave you a weird look. "Okay."

Jeff came back into the room, a bowl of popcorn in one hand and a bag of M&M's in the other. "Did you change the tapes?"

"Oh... I will." Gareth smiled sheepishly and knelt by the TV set.

---

Between the next two movies (A Nightmare On Elm Street and Aliens), you resumed your routine. Only this time, you and Gareth remained frozen in place, both of you staring at the blackened screen.

"I-I get why they call it Nightmare," You tried for a laugh, but what came out was more of a scared squeak.

"Yeah, me too." Gareth gave you a soft smile.

In the next moment, two things happened: Gareth pressed forward against you, pushing his lips on yours, and his big hands laid across your hips. You were quick to reciprocate, your lips moving against his, your hands sliding through his curls. His tongue swiped hesitantly across your lips and you opened your mouth, your tongue pressing against his. When you part, a trail of spit links your mouths and breaks, falling against your chin. Gareth thumbs it softly from your skin.

"Sorry, that was sudden." He mumbled, reddening under the starstruck gaze you gave him.

"I don't mind."

"I do like you back, if you hadn't caught on."

"Is that why you left?" You teased, tugging on one of his curls.

"Well, no, I just--"

"Are you guys gonna be, like, a couple now? Because if you are, I'm gonna have to sit between you so I don't look over and see you exchanging spit again." Jeff gagged at the thought and shivered.

"Well..." You gave him a grin and Gareth smiled. "No, no, Jeff, I was kidding, don't kill him with the remote--!"

~

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