#psychoteeth

It wasn't unlike the vagabond to go dark without much warning, but never for this long, and never without some form of communication eventually. He would have said something to them by now. The Crew searched tirelessly, putting all plans, heists, everything on the back burner. Finding Ryan became the only thing that mattered.

Geoff was devastated, but refused to let it show. Stoic as ever, he remained their proper leader, only dropping his mask in the lonely shadows of the night. When no one was looking. Jack was the force behind Geoff's brave face. He kept all of them going with his undying hope. Where he found his energy, no one truly knew. Michael put all his emotions into his rage. He was untouchable these days, anything and everything setting him off. The only time he was truly calm was when Geoff was able to get close enough to console him. Ray, aloof as ever, didn't talk much anymore. The youngest crew member hardly slept, spending the most time searching for Ryan during the dead hours of the morning.

Then there was Gavin.

He hadn't heard Ryan's voice in months. The Brit held painfully tight to the memories of that unique and charming voice, his low laughs, the way it rose several octaves when he became excited about something impossibly geeky. It made his heart ache, longing to see their mad mercenary once more. Hear his voice...

...And then he did.

They strung up a man They say who murdered three.

Gavin thought he was going crazy. Unable to sleep, lying helplessly tangled in the sheets of his bedding, he heard it. Clear as a bell, as if Ryan were lying right next to him. He sat straight up and looked around frantically, desperately searching for the light switch to his lamp at his bedside. The pitch black room fills with light.

Empty.

Gavin looks down into his bed, heart hammering in his chest. The only thing in his bed was a sleeping Michael, disgruntled and swearing sleepily at him, demanding to know what the fuck he was doing and to turn off that damn light. He squeezes his own chest tightly, the strange music still ringing in his ears as he turned off the light and laid back down once again. He knew if he were to tell the red head what he hadthought he heard, he would only become angry or hurt, or possibly both and just call him names and go back to sleep. Ryan was... gone. It was still difficult to admit to himself.

The room was silent once more until the early morning light began to turn everything a pale dusty blue.

Ryan began to sing to him again, and this time he made sure to listen, staying completely still.

Strange things did happen here No stranger would it be If we met at midnight In the hanging tree.

Gavin's heart began to beat wildly once more, confused by the eerie and haunting lyrics that were ringing out in his head, in Ryan's voice. Before he could begin to even try to decipher their meaning, a sudden and unnatural wave of exhaustion consumed him, drowning him into the unconscious world for the rest of the night.

Are you, are you Coming to the tree?

Michael Jones was missing.

It happened that first night Gavin heard him. None of the Crew members thought anything of it. He was just out looking for Ryan. He was distracting himself with mindless violence.

But Gavin felt so uneasy. He could tell something was wrong. When he voiced this to the others, they didn't want to hear it. There's just no way anything else bad could happen to them.

But they were so wrong.

Three Days later, the Fake AH Crew began the search for two of its members.

Geoff's mask started to show its cracks. Jack's endless supply of hope suddenly didn't seem so unlimited. Ray stopped talking all together. Gavin felt cold with fear.

Where dead man called out For his love to flee.

Gavin had crawled into bed with Ray that night weeks later, soothing him and trying to get him to sleep. The younger lad was a wreck and needed to sleep. Gavin had convinced him to stay home that night, to get some much needed rest.

The brit had just been about to drift off to the peaceful sounds of Ray's even breathing when he heard him again.

Strange things did happen here No stranger would it be If we met at midnight In the hanging tree.

Ryan's voice sang the same ghostly lyrics to him, echoing through the room, but this time they sounded different.

Michael's voice was accompanying him.

Gavin sat up, crying out into the emptiness, begging the invisible voice to just tell him what they wanted. Where had they disappeared to? To tell him how to find them and end this! His voice was hoarse, a whisper, unable to get any louder. The same force of exhaustion flooded him, pulling him back down into the bedding to sleep. Gavin's last waking thought was almost a prayer that Ray would be there when he woke in the morning.

Are you, are you Coming to the tree?

Ray Narvaez Jr. was missing.

Gavin woke, finding his bed empty, and immediately panicking this time. He begged Geoff and Jack to listen to him, that something was wrong. The remaining two Gents once again refused to listen, brushing him off. Ray was the one who was eager to search every day for hours on end for their missing boys, but Gavin could see the uncertain and terrified glances Jack and Geoff shared before simply walking away from Gavin. They told him to get some rest and that he looked like shit. A common endearing phrase for them. When Gavin tried to insist, Geoff snapped, telling him that he was just paranoid.

It was only a day before they changed their mind.

Geoff started drinking during the day. Jack didn't try to comfort them anymore.

Half their family was missing. No one ate or slept anymore, and when they did, they barely talked to one another. All their energy and time was put into the search. Was this an attack on their crew from a rival party? A sick joke? Their unanswered questions and failing searches were driving the last of the Fake AH Crew to madness.

Where I told you to run, So we'd both be free.

Ryan's voice sounded so beautiful with Ray and Michael's intertwining with it.

The lyrics began to follow Gavin even during his waking hours. The brit felt like he really was mad, which made him want to laugh, was this how Ryan felt all the time? Mad as a hatter, hearing voices, telling him to do the awful things he does?

Just two days after Ray's disappearance, he finally told Jack and Geoff about Ryan's ominous lullaby. How every night he heard him sing, Michael and Ray had disappeared the next day. The Gents stared at him as if he were crazy, and told him just that. They all had a round of drinks that night, and Gavin didn't resist. Maybe they were right, maybe he was crazy, or at the very least letting his devastation of losing his loved ones get to him.

Geoff insisted that he sleep in between him and Jack that night. Gavin was hesitant, afraid that he would lose them both if Ryan decided to come to him that night. Their boss simply dragged him down into the bedding, reminding him that they were still a crew, and that an order was an order. Jacks heavy breathing and weight against his side grounded Gavin enough for him to fall asleep, feeling safe.

Strange things did happen here No stranger would it be If we met at midnight In the hanging tree.

Ryan's voice rang out, commanding and loud, as if trying to lure Gavin away. He cried, fighting the ache in his chest, apologizing into the darkness to the ghostly voices. Was this Ryan's way of punishing them? That they weren't trying hard enough to find them? It wasn't fair. They had searched high and low, every corner of the city for him, as well as the others. It was as if they all vanished without a trace.

He reached out and took both Geoff and Jack's hands, holding tight to them, hoping to keep them from following the cries of their missing crew as he was forced to sleep once more.

Are you, are you Coming to the tree?

Jack Pattillo was missing.

This time Geoff needed no convincing. He finally listened to Gavin as he sobbed, telling him about the awful song Ryan kept singing to him. How the others had joined him. How it was only a matter of time before Jack would be singing with them. Neither one of them understood what it meant. They searched all day and night, looking through every forest, at every tree. They even tried to look up lores in Achievement City about a hanging tree. Nothing.

Geoff's mask shattered and laid in pieces at his feet. He clung to Gavin, afraid to lose his only boy. But Gavin didn't share his sentiment.

Gavin knew Geoff would be next.

Jack's voice joined Michael and Ray's just hours after he had gone missing. Ryan's voice was louder than ever, begging Gavin to listen, trying to pull him away. The Brit resisted and stayed firmly in Geoff's arms as they endlessly scoured whatever grounds they could reach.

Wear a necklace of rope, Side by side with me.

Neither one of them slept. They stayed entwined in each others arms, Gavin shaking horrendously. Ryan seemed to be desperate for him, the voices beginning to sound distorted with how frantic and unyielding they became whenever he heard them. Their voices filled him with ice instead of comfort like they used to. He missed them terribly. The warmth of their skin, their happy laughter, even their angry words when Gavin was being... Gavin. He wanted to run around the city without a care in the world, causing mayhem, and reminding the world they were a force to be reckoned.

It felt like those days were a lifetime ago. Gavin could feel the heaviness in his heart, his mind shattering. Nothing seemed to matter anymore.

Geoff passed out after downing an entire bottle of some nameless alcohol. Gavin didn't bother to read the label. He laid against the headboard of Geoff's bed, the man's head in his lap, his king sized bed feeling far too big and empty.

Strange things did happen here No stranger would it be If we met at midnight In the hanging tree.

Gavin fought as hard as he could against whatever forces kept trying to pull him into sleep this time. He was angry. Bitter that Ryan would do this to them. He shouted with rage that would have rivaled Michael's, telling Ryan to stop. He wrapped his arms around Geoff, yelling into the void that he couldn't take him.

The Brit fought long enough to witness Geoff sit up. There was a gloss to his eyes, as if he were not entirely there. He was muttering that he had to find them. Ryan was showing him the way...

Gavin wanted to scream for Geoff to not listen, but he was finally dragged under, against his will into the twilight of his subconscious.

Are you, are you Coming to the tree?

Geoff Ramsey was missing.

Gavin screamed as he ran through their empty penthouse, a path of destruction in his wake, his maddening grief exhausting his sanity.

The singing never stopped now. Geoff's voice was present as soon as Gavin woke.

He couldn't stay inside a moment longer.

He ran.

And ran.

And ran.

Where I told you to run, So we'd both be free.

Ryan's voice seemed to carry him far away from their beloved city.

His boys were singing, begging for him to meet them, so that they could be together again.

Gavin sobbed, his anguish all consuming, not caring anymore.

He just wanted to see his boys again.

Strange things did happen here No stranger would it be If we met at midnight In the hanging tree.

It was midnight when he found them. Hanging in an old oak tree, deep in some nameless forest far far away. Their singing had silenced. There was no sound save for the wind that gently swayed their bodies into one another, shaking the trees.

Gavin didn't even have the strength to scream or cry anymore. He collapsed to his knees before his boys, staring up at them, so alone. So afraid.

He didn't care why anymore. He had no desire to find out what happened. There was no point. They were all gone and he was alone.

Ryan's voice began to sing again, soft and comforting once more, quiet and gentle as the breeze.

Gavin saw them all smile down at him, bodies full of life, warm and welcoming.

And he smiled back.

Are you, are you Coming to the tree?

Michael flicked the last traces of water from his hands then wiped any excess on his pants. He left the bathroom and began to head back to the office. It was late, about three o'clock at night and only Geoff, Gavin, Ryan and himself were left.

“Run!” The desperate shout came from behind him.

Gavin’s eyes were wide and he was visibly out of breath. He grabbed Michael’s hand and pulled him along.

“What the fuck Gav?” Michael questioned roughly, halting their progress.

“We have to go!” He yelled, tears pooling at the edges of his eyes “Now, or it’s over.” He pulled at Michael again.

He jerked Gavin’s hand off his shoulder “Just tell me and then I’ll go!”

Gavin’s face scrunched up “Trust me and I’ll tell you when we’re out OK?”

Michael wasn’t given a moment’s choice before he was being dragged again, he deduced they were headed for a door, the closest one he had never used. It was for emergencies after all.

As they came up to the door the lights suddenly shut off and the familiar surroundings descended into a strange unfamiliar darkness.

Gavin shoved the door to no avail, it was locked.

“Fuck,” he kicked it. Hard. “We’re fucked” he turned to Michael “We have to hide”

Michael sighed but was beginning to feel his stomach grow uneasy. “Why?”

Gavin swallowed “Ryan’s gone mental.” His lip quivered “He flat out murdered Geoff… There wasn’t anything I could d-do we were joking but h-he wasn’t. He wasn’t”

Geoff’s dead. Ryan’s crazy. What?.

Gavin fell back onto the wall, panting from the exercise and mental strain. “He was laughing Michael, this crazy weird laugh and the blood… oh god he’s dead. And now so are we”

“Hey, hey are you-”

He stared at Michael “Sure?,” he snapped “do you think I would take a joke this far?”

He assessed the look in Gavin’s eyes and he knew this was real. “Okay. I trust you.” He said, accepting something like this was in no way easy but he did and there wasn’t any time to waste. “First you need to calm down… Gav?”

Through the darkness he could see beads of sweat forming on Gavin’s brow. He was shaking and his ragged breaths hadn’t eased which, by now, should have. This meant they weren’t caused by exhaustion. He was having a panic attack. You couldn’t blame him, after all he’d seen one of his best friends die, brutally at that.

“Gavin, hey listen, you have to calm down. I know it’s hard, but if we’re going to live you need-”

Gavin looked at Michael, his eyes were wide and His mouth agape with wild gasps. This wasn’t working.

Michael placed a hand either side of Gavin’s fade, eased him down and pressed his forehead against Gavin’s. “Concentrate on my eyes okay?.” He felt him nod. It was working, but slowly, he needed something with more impact to distract him. “Fuck it.” Michael declared. and kissed Gavin. He deepened their kiss quickly, hoping to shock him into concentration. He held his trembling body close until his breathing died down.Michael pulled away. A sinewy line of spit glistened in the moonlight, like a fragile glass bridge connecting their mouths. “You okay now?”

Gavin nodded. “Y-yeah thanks. For that”

“Anytime. We’ve wasted enough time now, we have to make a plan of action, so get thinking and for now we’ll head back”

“Agreed”

They walked slowly into the darkness, the overhead windows letting in just enough light for them to do so safely.

“Hey, we should call the police.” He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of this sooner. Maybe it was the flight part of fight or flight kicking in. “You got your phone on you?”

“No it was on my desk but I didn’t think-”

“Doesn’t matter. I left mine there too. It was charging.”

They sighed in unison. No-one was coming to help them.

“Michael” Gavin whispered “we should go to the door outside the lunchroom it’s never locked”

“Okay, great where-”

A long loud scratch sounded out and seemed to reverberate through the hallway. Michael tried to swallow but found his throat dry. He almost jumped when he felt Gavin’s hand grip his. Gavin took the lead, he knew where to go after all. They were, if possible, quieter after hearing the strange sound. He heard a high pitched noise come from Gavin’s throat. Then he was pulled into an adjacent hallway. “I saw him” he whispered faintly into Michael’s ear. “ His eyes. He was carrying the knife”

The knife. Not a knife. The knife. The knife that killed Geoff. He felt his heart beat faster. “Where does this hallway lead?.” Gavin shook his head. Nowhere.

Michael peered down there was a cabinet. They had to do something. This time Michael dragged Gavin down the Hall and they sat behind the great wooden object with their legs tucked in as far as they would go.

“Gaavvvv-yyyy” Gavin’s hand clamped down on Michael’s, he was shaking again, like his body couldn’t contain the fear he was experiencing  "I know you’re out there and I know you didn’t escape"

Michael knelt up and buried Gavin’s head into his chest. “Don’t listen to him” he whispered. “He doesn’t know shit”

“Hey, hey listen.” There was a long scratch. “That’s my knife. You saw what happened to Geoff. and. You. Ran. Away.” Scraaatch, he was dragging it along the wall. It was getting closer. “Hmm would you try to save Michael if I had him?, WOULD YOU!?”

For a moment there was a silence that made Michael’s stomach churn. “I know you’re with him though, so I won’t try to trick you. But if I find you two i’m going to kill him first so you can see two if your best friends die in the same day” there was a laugh, it sounded like Ryan’s but it was more… genuinely evil “that’ll be fun… hey what about a deal? Hmm?”

He was almost there. The voice was coming. “Gaaaviiin?,” he called “A deal!, you come out and I’ll let Michael go.” Gavin pulled away from Michael and stared at him. Michael shook his head. Hard. “How does that sound. Limited time only”

“Ten”

“Nine”

“No” Michael breathed into Gavin’s ear as he tried to get up. This act was an obvious trick but Gavin’s head wasn’t functioning normally.

“Eight”

“Seven”

Michael restrained Gavin with both hands. Then he opened his mouth.

“Six”

“Five”

Michael pressed his mouth to Gavin’s and held him down tightly.

“Four”

“Three”

Gavin stopped struggling and his body softened into the kiss. The contact was grounding him.

“Two”

“One”

“Zero…”

“ huh” The voice, Ryan’s voice, was at the mouth of the hallway, he knew it. “Well done Gavin, I was lying. What a way that would’ve been to kill you two.” He laughed that sickening laugh once again and his footsteps became softer as he headed away.“Come out, come out wherever you are!”

“Sorry” Gavin whispered as they separated. “I thought…”

“Mhmm I know, it’s okay” Michael reassured him “Let’s get moving while he’s gone” The pair stood and silently made their way around the corner, clutching each other’s sweaty hands like it was the only tether connecting them to reality.

They came upon the door and ran over to it. Gavin pushed on the handle and it clicked. But didn’t open. “Shit” he tried again. “No”

Michael tried. “We have to find another way” he concluded.

“Shit”

“It’s okay we-”

“No, there’s a fucking homemade alarm system on the floor!, he knows where we are!”

“What?” Michael couldn’t believe it. Ryan couldn’t be underestimated. If they made one mistake they were fucked. “Come on” they joined hands once again “we have to hide. And quick. If he knows we’re here he’ll be here in a minute”

They rushed about, their eye’s searching like children for the best hiding spot. “I know” Gavin exclaimed. He led Michael to the place.

It was a small space between a large metal cabinet and the wall. It wasn’t perfect but they were out of time. Gavin pushed Michael in first until his back touched the wall and then squeezed himself in until he was pressed against Michael.

Ryan’s footsteps thundered past. Michael’s heart raced. Then he reached his destination. “So you figured it out? Hmm?. Or did you get lucky. Either way you must be close!” The voice wasn’t faint by any stretch of the imagination but neither was it close. The only they had to hold onto was that they were out of his radius.

For what felt like an hour they heard him search. He taunted them every moment but they never cracked. They couldn’t afford to. A reaction meant death.

“Eugh…” His voice was closer now, maybe ten feet away. “Blood on my pants, I should rethink the mementos. Goodbye.”

This strange sentiment was followed by a wet slap. A wet slap that sounded out from right in front of them. That was followed by Gavin’s whole body tensing up. Michael strained to see what it was. It was a lump. No. Michael’s eyes became unbearably wide. It was a hand. A familiar hand. A tattooed hand. Geoff’s hand.

He cowered behind Gavin. His hand instinctively went over Gavin’s mouth so he couldn’t scream. He put the other over Gavin’s eyes. So he didn’t have to see either. Gavin’s hands went up to Michael’s, not to protest their presence there, Michael knew, but for comfort. Soon, Michael’s hand became wet with Gavin’s silent tears.

“Come out!” The voice wasn’t playful anymore it was angry. “Come on I’m bored… don’t you want to play?. Guess not. Are you trying to wait me out?. Won’t work. The sun will just make you easier to find. If you’re going to escape- or try to- you better do it before dawn, hey remember when we did until dawn? That was fun. We-” his voice began to fade away.

He was right. They were royally fucked if the sun came up before they got out. So far the darkness was the only reason they had gotten away.

Michael leaned up to Gavin and quietly spoke in his ear. “Is there any other way out that you know of?, anything?”

He was quiet for a time before he replied. “There’s a window, a small one I think, in the ladies toilets, Barb told me about it before, she said it would be a perfect escape route for a bad date”

There was a chance that this window was only big enough for a woman of her size but it was a chance they’d have to take.

“Alright gav, we have to gamble on it, life or death it’s our only chance” they shared a solemn nod.

They shuffled out of their hiding spot. Ryan wasn’t in sight. They headed back the way they had come quickly and quietly. When they were out of earshot they began to sprint. Suddenly Gavin tried to stop and tripped. His arms flailed about for something to grip. He grabbed a bookcase. It came down with him. A loud crack sounded out.

“GAVIN!” Michael screamed. The air was thick with drywall dust and as it dissipated the scene became clear to Michael. Gavin was face down on the floor, one of his legs was trapped underneath the bookcase.

Gavin groaned. Michael breathed a sigh of relief. He was okay. “Why’d you do that?” Michael asked desperately.

“There was another alarm.” He moaned. “I was trying to avoid tripping it but… well, too late. Hey g- go on without me okay?, he’ll be here-”

“Shut up. Shut the hell up!. Who the fuck do you think you are telling me to leave you here?. Do you think I could live with myself if I did that!?. Do you?.” He yelled. There was no reply. “That’s what I thought.”

“ Now I’m going to lift this thing and you’re gonna crawl out.” He crouched beside Gavin. “On three.” He gripped the cold steel tightly “one. Two. Three!…”

He pulled with all his strength, letting out a fierce grunt as he did so. It was unbelievably heavy. His muscles strained and burned but he managed to keep in elevated until Gavin had gotten free. It crashed loudly when he let go, the clanging metal echoed through the empty halls. Bug he was coming regardless of how much noise they made.

“It’s definitely broken.” Gavin groaned, his eyes pressed shut in pain “I don’t think I can run anymore…”

Michael knew where this speech was going. He marched over to Gavin and scooped him up. “Hold onto me.” He complied, his fingers warm on his shoulders.

Michael started to run. He was tired. Exhausted. His legs were on fire but so was his soul. He wasn’t going to give up. It wasn’t only his own life he had to save. It was Gavin’s too. And he wasn’t about to let anyone die on his watch.

“Found you!”

Michael could’ve cried. The shout wasn’t very close and they were nearly there. Michael made himself move faster. He was running on pure adrenaline now.

“There it is!” Gavin exclaimed.

Michael barreled through the open door and sat Gavin on a toilet. He whipped around and locked the door. He swallowed roughly and looked to the window. It was big enough. He almost smiled.

He ripped his sleeve off. He wrapped it around his right fist. He perched on a toilet and, as hard as he could, he punched it. CRACK. The window was split in a large web. “Fuck” he cursed through gritted teeth as pain shot through his fist. He shook it then reared back again. CRACK. This time his fist went through and shattered glass littered the floor. He knocked the last few shards out.

BANG. “Let me in”

Michael ignored this. He didn’t have anymore time to be afraid. He lifted Gavin again. “Put your hands on the lip and pull as hard as you can. I’ll push you up. Now!” He shoved Gavin and he disappeared with a thud on the other side.

“I’m coming~” Ryan called. This was followed by a loud crack. “Did I mention I had a axe?.”

He glanced over at the door. There was a large hole in the middle. Through it he could see Ryan. A blood soaked, manic looking Ryan. His eyes were wide. His pupil’s were so big that his irises were gone. He was smiling from ear to ear.

“It’s you next” his hand came through the hole and searched for the lock.

Michael turned and scrambled up the wall. He felt the cool night breeze against his skin. Click. The door was open. The moon was bright. He was almost out. “Too bad.” He felt a sharp pain in his leg. He cried out.

“MICHAEL” Gavin wailed, he was trying so hard to stand. Trying to help.

“Fuck you!, fuck you, you crazy bastard” Michael yelled. Pulling himself further out. Michael could feel the unadulterated will to live burning and coursing through his veins. He wasn’t going to die tonight.

“Oh no you don’t.” He felt his dirty hands on his legs. He struggled one loose and reared it. With all the energy he could muster he kicked. He felt He impact. He heard the sick crunch of a nose breaking. He heard a clank of body against porcelain. He had hit the sink. Michael slipped out. He hit the ground with a fleshy flop. The air was knocked out of him. He wheezed and coughed as he breathed.

“Thank god, thank god” Gavin mumbled, he was already crying. “I-i thought you were…”

“I think I knocked him out but it’s not over yet” he wheezed “we have to get out of here. ”

“Michael… your leg!” Gavin shuffled closer. “Here give me that” he tugged the fabric off Michael’s hand. He shook it out and wrapped it around the wound, which at that moment was throbbing dully.

“Thanks.” Slowly, using Gavin as a crutch, Michael stood up. “Here, gimme your hand.” Michael pulled Gavin up and they leaned heavily on one another. Each using their good leg they did a strange hop-hobble-run.

“God I wish I had a car right now” Gavin said wistfully.

“You can’t even drive, dipshit” Michael countered.

Then they shared a laugh. A laugh that wouldn’t occur at any other time. It was a dry, desperate laugh that clawed with vivacity at normality. But, despite everything, it was still a happy laugh.

They continued their tandem movements down the street-lamp lit roads that led up to their office. It was at least another few miles to humanity. Why did their office have to be in the back ass of nowhere?.

“Hey, do you hear that?… It’s an engine!, we’re saved!” Gavin said.

For a moment Michael’s heart soared before falling once again. “Gavin you can’t drive, but Ryan can”

Their eyes locked. Shit. They did their weird routine and dived into the bushes. They shuffled back until their bodies were hidden. It seemed like an eternity before the sound drew close. Through the foliage Michael recognised Ryan’s car. He squeezed Gavin’s hand and held his breath. The car cruised by, it wasn’t doing more than ten miles per hour.

Once the car’s backlights had safely departed they face each other. “Looks like we can’t trust cars anymore” Michael said softly.

They didn’t come into contact with a car again until they were almost there. They hid again and were passed safely by Ryan’s car.

The pair made it over a hill and before them was a glowing yellow M. Never in his life had Michael been so glad for twenty-four hour dining. He felt tears sting the edge of his eyes. Each step was agony. The adrenaline had long since worn off but he was sure Gavin was in more pain.

The two practically fell through the double doors and stumbled to the nearest table and collapsed into the chairs. Where Gavin promptly burst into tears.

A spotty teenage cashier who looked scared out of his life said “are you guys okay”

“Well apart from being stabbed in the leg, mentally traumatised and stalked as prey for i dunno two hours?, I’d say i’m fine” Michael said sarcastically. “Have you got a phone I could borrow,I have to report the guy who just tried to murder me”

“S-sure” he reached over the counter and handed Michael his cell. Ten minutes later they were sat in the strobing blue glow of ambulance and police lights, side by side. Hand in hand.

“You know, if it wasn’t for you I’d be dead right now. I’d be so dead” Gavin said. “Thank you”

“Hey, you’re the one who warned me in the first place” He said, stoking Gavin’s arm with his thumb.

“I guess”

Gavin’s head fell onto Michael’s shoulder. Michael rested his own head on Gavin’s.

“Michael?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you”