“God Gavin, you’re such a fucking idiot! Do you even have a brain in your head or is your nose just taking up too much space?!” shouts like these were a common occurrence in the office, Michael was always shouting at Gavin or hitting Gavin and he just took it on the chin. It was all for entertainment value anyway, and Gavin would do anything if it meant good content. But when these shouts started coming to home, behind closed doors, a time that was meant to be Gavin and Michael’s time away from everything, it really took a hit,

“Michael I didn’t mean it, there’s no reason to yell.” He tried to plead.

“No reason to yell?! You promised that you’d be able to cook dinner without burning it!”

“It’s not my fault! I put it in for the exact time that the instructions told me!”

“Well maybe if you had a brain you’d think that maybe instructions are just a guideline and might not always work!”

“WELL MAYBE IF YOU DIDN’T WELL ALL THE TIME I WOULDN’T BE SO SCARED TO MAKE A MISTAKE AND WOULDVE NOT STUCK SO CLOSE TO THE INSTRUCTIONS!” Gavin was angry, he didn’t want to take this shit anymore. He didn’t mean to burn the dinner and now here Michael was, continuously yelling at him and making Gavin want to break down and cry.

“What are you on about?! I don’t yell all the time, you’re just fucking stupid!”

“Yes you do! You yell at me more than you have actual conversations with me Michael! And I’m okay with handling it at work but when it comes home and I never get a break and I don’t even get to spend time with my boyfriend without being constantly scared that I’m going to mess up and make you yell at me,”

“Gav-“

‘And I’m just so goddamn sick of it! I’m done Michael! I can’t handle the constant anger and the constant yelling and it’s just doing my head in. If you can’t love me without yelling and belittling me than maybe we aren’t good together!”

“Gavin-“

“I’m going to go stay with Geoff! Call me when you can get your head out of your arse!” and with that Gavin turned around and stormed out, only having his phone and his wallet on him. He walked down the street for a couple of minutes before it really sunk in what had just happened, and he collapsed onto the ground in tears.

Taking out his phone, he scrolled down to Geoff’s number before calling. “Geoff, can you please pick me up,” he gasped through his tears. It didn’t even take Geoff a second before he replied he’d be there in a moment.

It was a night of many tears and restful sleep for Gavin, he just wanted to be wrapped in Michael’s arms, but he couldn’t take this treatment any more. It wasn’t healthy for him to just take the yelling on the chin and accept it like it would be a daily occurrence.

By the time Geoff came into his room to tell him it was time to get ready for work Gavin had only just fallen asleep, and so wasn’t feeling the best when he had to get up. But life goes on, and he can’t side track all of Achievement Hunter just because he was having an off day.

Getting to work was a chore, Geoff was sympathetic and insisted that Gavin had the day off, but that was one thing that Gavin would never have, a day off just because he wasn’t feeling up to it. He’d have days off for work or traveling, but never had Gavin stayed home because he was sick or even just measly tired. Besides, he could just sleep in the car on the way to work.

Working into the office, Gavin instantly noticed something was off. For one thing Michael was nowhere to be seen, and he usually likes to arrive to work at the crack of dawn so he could catch up on some editing and recording some rage quit, another was the giant bouquet of flowers placed on his desk.

Reaching for the flowers, Gavin smelt them before noticing the note place in between the petals.

I’m sorry, I love you

Xx Michael

And Gavin only sighed and smiled before he took the flowers and put them on Barbara’s desk. He didn’t need these, he wasn’t a flower person and Barbara would appreciate them more. He did keep the little note though, just so he could indulge.

Over the week several more gifts would turn up on Gavin’s desk. It wasn’t until the last gift after Gavin had received multiple chocolate chip cookies, because god knows he would never touch American chocolate, several more flowers and a tonne little gifts that Gavin felt moved. Sitting on his desk was a creeper necklace, next to it a note. Tears came to his eyes as he picked up the note, memories flashing back to when he’d done this earlier in the week.

Gavin,

I’m an asshole. I’m sorry that it took me so long to realise how my words and actions were affecting you, I never wanted to hurt you. I assumed that because it was okay at work that it’d be something that continued at home, but that’s no excuse. I’m so in love you, like Jesus fucking Christ it’s concerning how much I love you. You’re so funny and seriously one of the smartest fucking people I have ever met, have you seen yourself. And you have a great ass. But seriously Gavin I love you, and if there’s even a chance that you’ll ever take me back after how much of an asshole I’ve been, just let me know. Do you still love me?

Xxx Michael

“So do you?”

Gavin turned around quickly, standing behind him was Michael, hugging Gavin’s creeper plushie and his own Banjo plushie. He looked sad but hopeful as he watched Gavin taking him in.

Gavin gasped, “Michael,” before he dropped his things and went to give Michael a big hug, the plushies making their way to the floor. “I love you so much, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” He cried into Michaels shoulder, arms hung around his neck.

“It’s okay babe, I’m the one who should be sorry not you. I’m an asshole.”

‘It’s okay it’s okay, I forgive you. Now let me kiss you.” Gavin took Michael’s mouth with his, pressing for what he had missed over the week they’d been apart. It was full of passion and love, Gavin would never doubt that Michael loved him ever again. They continued kissing until they heard the door of the Achievement Hunter office open.

“it seems as if I have meet an abnormality,” Ryan huffed into the phone, “that may askew our scoring method.”

“What is that supposed to mean,” Michael said clearly annoyed.

“well~”

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Ryan always thought himself as the suave, gentleman-ly type of serial killer. He would always meet his ‘match’ doing some mundane thing (he had particular luck in the grocery store). After taking them out for a delightful dinner, Ryan would invite the match over to his house for a bit of fun. And boy, did Ryan always have fun.

Tonight’s match followed the pattern. They had meet in the park and Ryan barely had time to flirt before they had agreed on a date later that night and had parted. Ryan quickly walked home to prepare for the lively evening.

Ryan couldn’t help but smile at the lithe man sitting before him. Not only was he British -Ryan had always had a thing for accents. Maybe it was due to his theatre background or it gave the idea that the match was alone. His or her family on the other side of the sea and plenty far away enough to not cause Ryan grief.- but the man was brimming with a life force that Ryan had never encountered before.

His match’s eyes glimmered with excitements and his gestures were always over the top. Ryan couldn’t help but smile at the thought of ripping the life out of the match.    

“Unbelievable, right?” the man said finishing the story that Ryan had complexly ignored.

“Yeah,” Ryan said taking a quick bit of pizza and eyeing the button up shirt that was slowly being undone in the match’s excitement over whatever he was saying.

“What about you?” The match’s eyes lighting up. “What do you do for fun,”

“I’m a people person,” Ryan said well rehearsed. It was a question commonly brought up on first dates and he had become a near professional at answering the question right. “After work I have a drink or two at the bar and on the weekends I like to camp,” Ryan said withholding the fact that camping equated hiding dead bodies.

“Really?” the match said quirking an eyebrow. “You seem like the quiet type. And I am usually right about those things… Do you at least like reading?”

“Very much so,” Ryan said smiling softly and earning a triumphant sound from the match.

“I knew it!” the match nearly shouted. “What type of books do you like?”

“At the moment, Shakespeare”

“Nerd,” the match said halfheartedly and shoving the last of the pizza into his house. “Wanna go for a walk?” He slurred walking towards the door.

“A walk?” Ryan asked. “Let me go to my car and get a flashlight,” and a few other things.  

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

The match was a whirlwind of life. In one moment he was casually walking next to Ryan and the next he was scrambling up a tree.

“I haven’t climbed a tree in at least 50 years,” the match said clinging to one of the lower branches and pulling himself up. “And it looks like I haven’t lost it,” making his way up a couple of more.

“Be careful,” Ryan said following the match with his flashlight.

“I will,” the match said immediately loosing his footing and crashed though the branches into Ryan’s arms. “Whoops,”

“You are a walking disaster,” Ryan huffed.

“And you are a lifesaver,” the match said snuggling into Ryan’s arms.

Ryan felt something click within him. It wasn’t a new feeling but it was stronger and he had less control of it. Unceremoniously, Ryan dropped his match onto the ground with a thud.

“Ow,” The match hissed and rubbed at his tailbone as Ryan fished out a blade from his backpack.

Ryan feverishly scrambles on top of his match and sandwichs his chest between Ryan’s thighs. “My match,” Ryan breathes and grazes the knife along hiscollarbone.

The startled look on the matches face melts into a sad smile. “Oh Ryan,” he quietly scolds.

“You’re not scared.” It isn’t a question.

“Sorry,” the match says his grin turns sly before it morphs into a scream as Ryan plunges the knife into the matches shoulder.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

A few hours later, Ryan is finishing washing the last of the blood off himself in the showering and thinking about the night’s events. The kill he had made tonight was unlike any he had ever made. There was something akin to a flow in the way that the match reacted to Ryan’s knife. It was almost as if it was a rehearsed play and the matches last breath was the ecstasy of the audiences cheers. Ryan would give anything to feel that way again. Ryan’s thought was punctuated with the doorbell ringing several times.

Clad only in a town, Ryan makes his way down the stairs and opens the door. “good evening?” Ryan stutters out.

“Ello!” the match, who is very much alive and uninjured, chirps. “You forgot this after murdering me.” he says lunging the hilt of the knife towards Ryan.

Ryan gawks.

“It seems like a nice knife so I thought I should return it.”

“Thanks.” Ryan says not taking the knife back. “But how do you know where I live?”

“It’s called a phonebook, Ryan Haywood” the match said quirking an eyebrow.

“Just to be clear,” Ryan said looking to see if any of his neighbors were within earshot but the entire street was empty. “You are the match I killed in the woods right.”

“Yep. Dead as a doornail.” The match said and his expression turned annoyed. “And I’m not you’re match. My name is Gavin Free.”

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

“So you’re telling me that you murdered this dude a couple hours ago and then he came and returned the knife?” Michael said rubbing at the bridge of his nose as Ryan finished the recap of the night’s events. When Ryan had called saying that their scoring method had been ruined, Michael’s worse case scenario was that another serial killer had moved to town.

“That’s exactly what I am saying.” Ryan nodded taking a long drink of tea.

“Are you stupid?” Michael said turning towards Gavin. “Why the hell didn’t you call the police?”

“No evidence,” Gavin shrugged. “No body, no motive, and the murder weapon doesn’t have a trace of blood on it,” Gavin said examining the knife that Ryan had yet to confiscate.

“You aren’t fucking with me right?” Michael said turning to glare at Ryan.

“Nope. I am just as confused as you are.” Ryan said shaking his head.

“Alright, I will suspend my disbelief for a moment,” Michael said feeling the stress build as well as the familiar tinge in the back of his skull. “What are you then? A vampire, ghost, zombie?”

“Just immortal.”

“Just immortal?” Micheal’s voice breaks from anger. “What the hell does that mean?”

“Well, It’s all because of a bit of a curse”

“How the fuck is being immortal a curse.” Michael interjected watching the way Gavin is playing with the knife between his fingertips.

“And being attracted to serial killers and releasing their ‘tendencies’” Gavin said and making Ryan realize why he had such a strong urge in the woods with Gavin.

“Oh.” Michael said the tinge in the back of his head quickly drifting throughout his brain and making him only able to think of one singular thing.

“So I’m not your first,” Ryan said a bit wistfully.

“Nope,” Gavin chuckled. “I’d say your aren’t even my one thousand and first.”

“Jesus dude.” Michael breaths out and his eyes are entirely focusing in on the knife in Gavin’s hands.

“But is this even possible,” Ryan mused.

Michael snatched the knife out of Gavin’s hand. “There is only one way to figure this out,” Michael said and, with practiced ease, guided the knife between the two ribs that was the highway to the heart and the knife is quickly extracted. Leaving Gavin to gurgle a moment before collapsing onto the floor and Michael flushed with the euphoria of murder.  

The two serial killers watched as Gavin choked on his blood until his breath stuttered to a stop and Gavin fell into lifelessness.

“Well, that was anticlimactic.” Michael said losing his high and turning to leave Ryan to deal with the mess. But he froze mid-step when he heard Ryan’s sharp intake of breath. “Holy shit,” Michael said turning around to catch what had roused such a rare reaction from Ryan.

The blood that had sprayed around the room was inching its way back towards Gavin’s wound.

After a few minutes, the blood had entirely made its way back into Gavin’s body and the wound had knitted itself together. All that was left of the fatal stab wound was a small slice where the knife had to cut through the shirt. A few more moments passed before Gavin gasped for his first breath since he died.

“God, I don’t know what’s better,” Michael said a slow grin forming on his face. “Killing him or watching him put himself back together.”

“Glad you could enjoy it,” Gavin said rubbing at his neck miserably.

“So what do you think Michael,” Ryan asked thoughtfully.

“It’s pretty fucking incredible.” Michael said honestly.

“No, about the score.” Ryan said.

“Oh.” Michael said without thought. “Shouldn’t count.”

“Not even as half?”

“Hey!” Gavin interjected. “I’m worth way more that bloody half a point.”

“Nah that’s basically spawn camping. And then you just get to do the fun shit. No need to find, clean up, or put any real effort in killing him.”

“Good point.” Ryan nodded.

“But we could have a most Gavin kills contest next month,” Michael said thoughtfully, which made Ryan’s face light up and Gavin’s face pale.

Intergalactic Mishap

Chapter One: Those Who Came From the Stars

Intergalactic protocol 1093: Do not seek the assistance from the life form known as homo sapien sapien. They have the genetic tendencies of insubordination, recklessness, and aggression.

                       Clause: When the infarction level is level C-5 or higher a homo sapien sapien team of two may be formed using the HSS algorithm.

Intergalactic protocol 1094: If homo sapien sapein team is formed for a specific mission, the team’s memories must be erased after mission objectives are completed. This is to prevent the Homo sapiens sapiens above-mentioned tendencies from cause a war with other intergalactic species that would ultimately lead to one of the species extinction.

Intergalactic protocol 1095: member of the homo sapien sapien team will not meet after mission objectives are complete.

           Clause: If the same homo sapien sapien team is selected by the HSS algorithm for another mission intergalactic protocol 1095 is void.

__________________________________________________________________________________

“Gavin Free: Technological specialist. Fastest record for disabling ship is 23.4 seconds. Remarkable at improvisation in terms of technology.  On earth he was able to make a working radio that was able to broadcast to space. First human to contact the Intergalactic Bureau and annoy them into responding.

Michael Jones: close range combatant specialist. Primary used Blue Rage; note that he is the first human to utilize Blue Rage successfully. Also showed remarkable skills in several guns subclasses. Called the man with 1000 pockets for his tendency to horde bullets and other supplies while raiding enemy ships.”

The team has been noted to the most successful team of the homo sapien sapien race. Mission success rage: 100%. Status: dismissed permanently.” The low drone of the computer said finishing.

“So are these are our guys?” Geoff said lifting his head from his arms. They had been looking over documents for past two days and it seemed as if Ryan was ready to finalize the humans that they would be using for this job.

“They seem promising.” Ryan said shuffling through the papers on the duo.

“Fucking finally! I already have their stuff too. So you better not back out like a bitch”

“But if these guy are as good as the records show then why have they been dismissed?” Ryan said beginning to leaf through the piles of papers that littered the table.

“No idea,” Geoff rubbed at his silvery eyes trying to get the sleep out of them.

“Not even going to try and look?” Ryan tsked as he shuffled through the papers.

“Fuck off man, I’m tired.” Geoff said. “You know how much of a pain in the ass it is to steal from the IGB.”

“I do in fact- Ah, here it is.” Ryan said grabbing the sheet of paper. “Reason of dismissal: team dynamics. What does that even mean?”

“They didn’t get along?” Geoff guessed. “ So lets keep them the hell away from each other. Problem solved. Let’s get them, inject them, and do this shit.”

“But-“

“We are not picking other fucking teammates, Ryan.”

“if the plan blows up, it is your fault then,”  

________________________________________________________________________________

Ryan had though he had experienced the strange in his days of space pirating. He has seen being that could split themselves into two as easy as it would be putting on a shirt, plants that could debate the therapeutic properties of classic music, and even people who honestly thought that wearing socks with sandals looked good.

But he had never in all his days seen someone like Gavin Free. In a single word he was a conundrum. In the four hours that Ryan has been tailing him, Gavin had managed to light himself on fire on three separate occasions and had been filming it the entire time. He was constantly questioning things and seemed to fly off in a tangent every couple of minutes. And for whatever reason, Gavin had taken over a dozen ‘selfies’ from the walk from the park, where the fire and filming had taken place, and his home. By the time Ryan had followed Gavin to his workshop, he had had enough.

Maybe Ryan had made a mistake in his selection of humans for the mission. Nonetheless, the decision had been made and Gavin Free’s credentials had been spectacular. So readjusting his cap and sunglasses, no need to completely shock the human, Ryan let his natural camouflage fall.

“Are you Gavin David Free. 26 years old?” Ryan said tapping the tin walls of the workshop.

“AH-ha,” Gavin said seemingly bursting from the chair and spinning it at the same time. “You finally reveal yourself!”

“Pardon me?”

“My thermo cameras were detecting an abnormality in the shape of a person.” Gavin said waving his camera at Ryan.

“You have thermo cameras?” Ryan said slightly impressed and embarrassed. He has under estimated the human and has forgone regulating his temperature.

“Of course!” Gavin exclaimed. “While I was in the park I was measuring the amount of heat transferred when something or someone is lit on fire, and while doing so I saw your abnormality. It really stood out because it was lower than the surrounding temperature while I was experimenting with higher temperatures. I knew it wasn’t a weather irregularity when it started following me home. Also I am.”

“You are, what?” Ryan blinked and was still trying to figure out what Gavin had been saying. It hadn’t said anything about the human’s observation skills, which were obviously high.

“Gavin Free.”

‘So you are the one who made the radio that ‘accidently’ contacted the international space station?”

 “It was a bloody accident.”  Gavin protested. “What are you the cops? Cause I already cleared it up. It was a good thing it was me who broke into their systems cause I just wanted to ask about the toilets. If anyone else broke in them they could have minged up the air pressure. Also, I checked and it technically isn’t illegal to have thermo cameras,”

“Gavin. It’s fine,” Ryan said raising his hands trying to calm the man down. “I’m just a fan.”

“What? Why?” Gavin said looking skeptical.

“Ingenuity and curiosity is a very attractive trait. Especially if one has the intelligence to satisfy these lusts,”

“Oh, uh thanks.” Gavin said scratching at his neck and turning to back to his work.

“Do you believe that there are other life forms outside of the earths atmosphere,” Ryan said trying to be as casual as possible..

“Like aliens,” turning back to Ryan.

“For lack of a better term, Yes.”

“I don’t know. I never seen any but it isn’t outside the realm of possibility. Wouldn’t that be brilliant though?”

“Yeah well,” Ryan said dramatically pulling off his cap and sunglasses revealing bright rainbow colored hair, bright yellow eyes, and light scales that ran across his temple and the edge of his cheekbones.

“Bloody hell. That isn’t a costume?” Gavin said jumping from his chair and grabbing the flashlight off the table. Gavin began to brushing his fingers along the scales with one hand and flash the light into Ryan’s pupils with the other. “No roots and pupils are constricting normally.” Gavin mumbled

“What are you doing.” Ryan said gently pushing Gavin away.

“Seeing if they are contacts.” Gavin said quietly and obviously deep in thought.

“So you believe me?” Ryan said raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah,”

“Good. Now I have a proposition for you,” Ryan said barely finishing before Gavin jumped into action.

Gavin grabbed a cardboard box and dumped it on the ground and started to run around the shed and refilled the box with, from what Ryan could tell, miscellaneous junk. “Can we stop off at home so I can grab a proper bag and some clothes. Do I need food? Do we eat the same things? Do you even eat? I have a discount at the grocery store where I work so it’s fine!”

“What are you doing,” Ryan asked slightly bewildered.

“You’re taking me to space, right?” Gavin said pleadingly. “Because I have always wanted to go to space.”

“Well technically, you have already been.” Ryan said.

“Wait what?” Gavin said immediately perking up.

Well…” Ryan said thinking if Geoff was this easy of a time convincing Michael Jones.  

_____________________________________________

“That’s bullshit. Do you honestly expect me to believe that you are an alien,”

“Look at my eyes dude,” Geoff said wildly gesturing at his pure silver eyes.

“Contacts.” Michael said waving it off.

“MY BLOOD IS ALCHOLIC”

“You can’t fucking prove it,” Michael said walking towards the gamestop that Geoff had managed to pull him out of.

“Like hell I can’t” Geoff said pulling out a knife.

“whoa buddy,” Michael said raising his hands defensively. “it’s all good,”

“Don’t treat me like I’m crazy.”

“You are acting pretty crazy.” Michael said looking between Geoff and the knife in his hand.

“That because you aren’t listening!” Geoff said with his voice cracking.

“Okay.” Michael said looking around for an escape route. “Lets say that I did believe that you are an alien.”

“Because I am.”

“Okay. But what about that shit you said about me going to space, saving the universe, and now how I can’t remember fuck all about it,” Michael

“Well because the IGB wipes humans of their memory of their mission.”

“Wait,” Michael, said taking a step towards Geoff that had eliminated all the progress that Michael had been making to get away from Geoff.  “How long was the mission?”

“Uh I don’t know,” Geoff said confused but glad that Michael wasn’t actively trying to run away from him now.

“Was it two weeks?” Michael said, all but forgetting the knife that was still in Geoff’s hand, and pulling Geoff by the collar until Michael and Geoff’s noses were practically touching.

“two weeks? Uh about?” Geoff bullshitted.

“Those motherfuckers.” Michael said shoving Geoff away.

“What?”

“I lost my job because I went on some bullshit mission to save the universe.” Michael said kicking at a trashcan. “I was an electrician. Do you know how much money a electrician makes!?! A hell of a lot more than a sales associate at goddamn GameStop. So how much did I get paid to save the universe?”

“You didn’t.”

“Fuck off,” Michael said stomping towards the obnoxious car that Geoff had parked in front of the game stop with.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to space to kick the IGA’s ass,” Michael said ripping the door open and plopping himself into the passenger seat, and crossing his arms impatiently.

“The what? Oh the IGB” Geoff said smirking. At least Michael was the type of guy that Geoff could get along with.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter Two: And We Are Blasting Off Again.

Michael knew he was impulsive. He would take any dare given to him (and was more than likely to successfully complete it) and would always voice his, usually blunt, opinions. And it was his impulsiveness is what made him simultaneously great and awful at videogames. But today, his impulsiveness had gotten him into the backseat of a spaceship that looked a lot like a 1998 minivan with sideways wheels and a rocket strapped to the back with an ‘alien’ hold a epi-pen out to him.

“So, you are trying to tell me that this-” Michael pointed to the device in Geoff’s hand. “Holds my memories when I was a badass intergalactic hero?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.’ Geoff said rolling is silver glazed eyes. “Now hold still. I don’t know what will happen if I miss.” Geoff said pulling his arm back with the blue liquid filled device.

“Wait.” Michael said holding up in hands. “I need a minute. It’s just that all of this sounds like bullshit.”

“Michael. You are in a space ship with an alien. Can you suspend your damn belief and let me inject this into….” Geoff grabbed at the box that the device that came in and squinted his eyes as he read the small print on the side of the box. “The space between the first and second cervical vertebrae… where is that on a human?”

“Jesus Christ.” Michael huffed and leaned back to try and get out of Geoff’s reach.

“I’m kidding.” Geoff snorted.  “I know it’s in the neck area.”

“Cause that makes me feel better.”

“If you are such a bitch then why did you follow me?”

“One, fuck you. Two, cause what the IGA are doing is shitty.”

“The IGB.” Geoff corrected again.  

“What-fucking-ever. The point is, is that those fuckers are stealing people to do their dirty work then dropping them off without even a memory of what they were doing. I was gone for, apparently, two weeks. And I know fuck all about what happened while I was in space. I’m fucking lucky that I just lost my job. What happens when people die in goddamn space? Do the IG-whatever drop the bodies off at earth or are these people ‘missing’ forever. It’s bullshit.”

“That’s not even the worst that the IGB have done.” Geoff muttered darkly.

“What else have they done?” Michael said leaning in closer to Geoff.

“Nothing for you to worry about. But the feeling of wanting to kick the IGB’s ass is mutual throughout the team.”

“Alright. Shoot me up.”

“What?”

“Give me the memories or whatever.”

“Sweet dude.” Geoff said maneuvering behind Michael and pressing the memory injector to Michael’s neck. “Now this might sting a bit.” and Geoff pressed the button.

“That wasn’t too- Aw FUCK,” Michael screamed as he felt a rush of pressure hit him in his forehead.

Geoff gave Michael a few moments to collect himself before asking, “So you ready to blue rage at the IGB?”

“Blue rage?”

“ You know, harnessing your emotion to super-enchanting your muscles in order to get the best performances out of speed, strength, and technique”

“I have no clue about what you are talking about, man,” Michael said rubbing at his forehead.

“You should,” Geoff said scrunching his eyes in confusion and grabbing for the device’s box again and pulling out a small booklet of instructions. He quickly leafed through the pages before settling on one of the last pages “Not to worry,” Geoff said. “It says memories can takes as long as 48 hours to completely re-emerge and that recipients should rest during this period in order to receive the memories- who has time for this?”  Geoff flicked the instructions onto the floor. “Alright, let’s go.” Geoff said squeezing himself into the front seat.

“Hey Geoff,” Michael said settling into his seat and putting on his worryingly lackluster seatbelt on.

“Yeah?”

“Why is this spaceship a piece of shit?”

“Ryan won dibs.” Geoff said bitterly.

“Ryan?”

“My teammate.”

“So the two aliens I have met are named Geoff and Ryan.” Michael muttered.

“Shut the hell up, dude.” Geoff said flicking on some of the switches and pulling the gears.

“So where is this teammate?” Michael asked.

He went to get the other human from England.”

“England?” Michael said perking up.  “Where in England? Oxsfordshire?”

“Yeah. How the hell did you know that?” Geoff said glaring suspiciously at Michael.

“I don’t know.” Michael shrugged. “Lucky guess?”  

~_~_~_~

“Well it seemed simple enough,” Ryan said lounging in the cockpit of the spaceship as the ship flew in autopilot. Unlike Geoff, Ryan had completely gone through the instructions and had even gone so far as to shoo Gavin into the small cot in the maintenance closet, an addition that Geoff had made.

It hadn’t even been 20 minutes when Ryan heard the door of the maintenance room creak open and a few moments later the door to the cockpit.

“What’s up,” Ryan said.

“What were some of the side effects of the serum again,”

“Short term? Mild headache, nausea, and tingling at the injection site. Why are you experiencing any of these?”

“No I was just having a bit of strange dream, is all.”

“A dream? That’s it.” Ryan said. “This is the first time you’ve been in space, from your memory at least, I wouldn’t be surprised if you had a strange dream. Best case scenario, it’s your memories re-emerging.”

“ If it was a space dream, that would make sense.” Gavin said pulling out a small machine from his pocket and began tinkering with it.

“Then what did you dream about,” Ryan said feeling intrigued.

“Well, I was dreaming that I was kissing-“

“Oh,” Ryan said. “Well Gavin. From what I have read in the literature, it is perfectly normal for men your age to have dreams like-“

“Myself.” Gavin finished.

“Excuse me?”

“I had a dream that I was kissing myself.”

“Well, that’s slightly narcissistic.”

“Right? My dreams are usually all over the gaff. But this makes me feel like a bloody tosser.”

“…Sure? Do you remember anything else about the dream?”

Gavin’s face contorted in deep concentration, “Like, I was me but I wasn’t.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It was me but I was different.”

“Okay” Ryan said running his hand through his rainbow hair. “Let’s go in another direction. How did you feel when you were kissing… dream Gavin.”

“Well, he was being fucking annoying as shit and I wanted to kick his ass but then Gavin gave me that you’re-my-boi look. So I kissed him.” Gavin smirked.

“Do you usually speak in the third tense?” Ryan said watching Gavin analytically.

“What? No why?”

Ryan grabbed at a couple pieces of paper and began to scribble something on them. “Strange. Interesting but strange.”  

“What?” Gavin said sitting up straight.

“Nothing for now,” Ryan said. “Have you noticed anything else out of the ordinary?”

“What are you doing Ryan?” Gavin said leaning in and trying to see what Ryan was writing, only to be disappointed that it wasn’t in any human language that Gavin could recognize.

“I think I just found my next thesis.” Ryan said beginning to hum happily to himself. “And it’s all thanks to Geoff’s mistake, figures.”

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 3: Meet Up

“Now don’t be alarmed but we are now going to be speaking to the second half of our team through video chat. To be clear, it will not be a recorded tape but it will be a live communication. Something akin to speaking on the telephone.” Geoff said waiting for Michael’s awe but was disappointed to only receive a blank stare.

“So we are going to Skype them?” Michael said.

“Skype?”

“Yeah the exact thing you described was Skype. Anyone with a computer or phone can do that.” Michael said rolling his eyes.

“huh,” Geoff said turning his back to Michael and began to click things into the computer.

“If you want to be an asshole about your ‘advanced civilization’ show me something impressive.” Michael said settling into his seat.

“What about the memory injector?” Geoff said ignoring the bing that showed that the call had be connected.

“You stole that,” Michael said rolling his eyes.

“Yeah from a super fucking advanced militarized civilianization.”

“Whatever dude,”

“Would you care to begin, gentleman,” Ryan said amused by the end bit of the conversation that he had heard.

“Holy shit,” Michael said looking up at the screen to see the rainbow haired man. “He looks a hell of a lot more like an alien than you,” Micheal said wildly gesturing at Ryan’s hair and scales that framed the upper half of his face.

“Thank you,” Ryan chirped before Gavin pushed his way into frame, although the only thing that could be seen was his large nose.

“Ello!” Gavin said happily.

“Is he an alien too? Cause his nose is too gargantuan for earth’s atmosphere,” Michael deadpanned but couldn’t help but smirk when Gavin squawked in annoyance.

“Real original there,” Gavin muttered as he moved away from the camera.

“You nose is just so huge that I can’s help but be draw to it, it’s like it has it’s own gravitational field.”

“Oi –“ Gavin’s face becoming a deep shade of angry red.

“All right dickheads,” Geoff said. “If this is how you guys act on your first meeting I can understand why the IGB don’t want you.”

“Geoff, why the fuck is their spaceship not a piece of shit?” Micheal said finally getting a good look at the background. If Geoff’s spaceship was a minivan then Ryan’s was a Lexus.

“I had dibs,” Ryan stated. “But Michael, this might be a bit of a tangent but have you noticed any strange behaviour from yourself post injection?”

“Post injection?” Michael said, “Why is the memory injector going to fuck me up? I looked at all the side effects but they seemed minimal. But who bloody knows with that kind of tech, eh?”

“Bloody? Is that a term in your usual-“

“Ryan, please.” Geoff all but screeched, “We have a mission to discuss.”

All right dickheads, this mission is split into three primary submissions. The first will be Michael and I getting a shit ton of weapons while Ryan and Gavin will be getting the blueprints for the prison-“

Micheal’s head snapped towards Geoff, “the prision?”

“What exactly are we doing?”  Gavin asked knowing the awnser but hoping that he was wrong.

“Obviously a prison break,”

“So who’s the jailbird?”

“The third member of our crew,” Ryan’s said finally adding to the discussion.

“ANYWAYS, after we have done the first two parts of the mission we meet, hope you two assholes don’t rip each other apart, and break the dickhead out of jail.” Geoff said looking between the four who all nodded.

“So how exactly does this fuck with the IGB,” Michael leaning back into his chair.

“The prison we are attacking is filled with those against the IGB. Rebels if you will.” Ryan said. “And the IGB will certainty be hindered if over 1.5 million escape from their ‘impenetrable prison,” Ryan said bitterly at the end.

“So what do you say, you interested?”

“Sounds alright,” Gavin said. “I’m interested in the tech that would allow a prison to gloat being the strongest in the world but I have never faced a digital lock I couldn’t break.” Gavin grinned.

“As long as I get to fuck over the IGB, I’m happy”

“Sweet as dicks dude,” Geoff smiled. “Now get the logistics outta the way.”  

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 4: Trouble? Shoot! (Or stab)

“Holy shit, this place looks way more like a spaceship that our shitty van,” Michael said taking a sip from the bottle of, what tasted like, capri-sun and the duo walked down the long corridor that was filled with flashing lights and the low drone of machines.

“Focus, Michael.” Geoff said glancing nervously around the corridor. “We have to get as much shit as we can and get the hell outta here before anyone sees us- fuck” Geoff said as he turned the corner to be faced with several guards, who had fortunately not heard Geoff’s outburst or had seen him.

“What,” Michael said pulling Geoff back around the corner and out of the prying view of the guards.  

“Why the fuck are they there?” Geoff hissed.

“Patrol?”

“No they are dicking around in front of the weapons room, how do we get rid of them?” Geoff said peaking around the corner and quickly returned to the safelt behind the wall. “Alright, there are like 5 of them and only one of them looks like they can do any real damage is the tuuvanon.”

“The fuck is a tuuvanon?”

“Four armed motherfucker.”

“What about the little ones?” Michael said glancing around the corner.

“Soranons. We have to get rid of those little fucks if we even want a chance to fight the tuuvanon.”

“Why?”

Geoff let out an exasperated sigh. “Because~ the soranons create oxygen for the tuuvanon to use.”

“So the big fuck needs oxygen to fight and the little ones create that oxygen but can’t fight worth shit? So stealth?” Michael said nodding as he pulled out the bottle that he had been drinking from earlier and shattered it on the ground.

“What the fuck are you doing,” Geoff said his eyes almost budging. “We aren’t even fucking armed.

“Shut the hell up,” Michael said flattening himself against the wall, “if this works out-“ Michael said breaking out into a grin as one of the Soranons walked around the corner. But before Michael could even get a good look at the alien, his fist was colliding with the Soranon’s face. And the alien fell to the ground unceremoniously along with Geoff’s jaw.

“What the fuck Michael,”

But Michael ignored him and began to ruffle through the alien’s pockets and belt until he pulled out what he was looking for, a knife. “Sweet,” Michael mumbled and returned to his position against the wall.

“This wont work a second time, we have to get the fuck-“ Geoff began but was interrupted by another one of the grunts turning the corner. “Fuck me,”

Once again Michael grabbed the alien as it turned the corner but instead of knocking it out, he slipped the knife under its neck and held the alien in close to prevent any movements. “If I cut its neck will I kill it,” Michael asked Geoff but the alien’s widening eye was enough of an answer.

“Yeah,” Geoff confirmed.

“Okay good,” Michael said before smirking. “Well not for you I guess.”

“Shit,” the one eyed alien squeaked.

“What the hell are you planning Michael,”

“Call your big buddy,” Michael said once again ignoring Geoff.  “But say everything is fine and something just fell over or some shit and you need help cleaning it up. You got it,”  

“Fuck you,” the alien spat and tried to writher out of Michael’s arms but Michael quickly silenced him with the quick movement of his blade.

“Christ, Michael,” Geoff watched the blue blood ooze from the aliens neck. “What the hell did you do that for?”

“There’s still, what, two more grunts? It’s fine Geoff.” Michael said rolling his eyes.

“You’re a scary motherfucker,” Geoff stated as he watched Michael press himself against the wall again. “How the fuck are you going to get their attention now?”

Michael proceeded to shove his boot into the barely conscious alien on the ground, who let out a low groan. Michael glanced at Geoff and gave him a look that said, “I know what I’m doing.”

“Damn it,” Geoff said pulling the knife from the- now dead- Soranon’s belt.

“If my experience is right,” Michael said as a bulking red alien came from around the corner.

“Are you fucking psychic?” Geoff said as he shoved the knife into the tuuvanon’s stomach.

“Just play a shit ton of videogames,” Michael said crisscrossing the knife against the attacking arms.

“Fuck,” Geoff huffed as the tuuvanon slammed him into the wall but this gave Michael the chance to thrust his knife deep into the tuuvanon’s chest. The tuuvanon fell to its knees as it heaved out a breath filled with bright red blood.

“You alright, Geoff?”

“Just a broken spine,” Geoff huffed as rolled onto his stomach and slowly stood up. “Let’s just get the some guns and get the hell out of here,”

“Sounds good to me,” Michael said strolling towards the door to the armory. “Where did the two other soranons go”

“No clue but let’s hurry the fuck back before-“ Geoff began but was interrupted when the door slammed shut and the door beeped and locked. “They come back. Fuck.”

~_~

“This was surprisingly easy,” Gavin said with a handful of weapon schematics.

“Well, unlike Geoff. I put an ounce of thought into my plan.” Ryan scowled. He had put a considerable amount of time in putting this plan together. Going so far as to hire an inside man that would erase any evidence that they were there as well as give Ryan the schedules of patrols. But it felt too easy and they were already on the way out of the architect’s firm.

“Why did we have to steal the paper copies,” Gavin complained as he dropped yet another schematic and had awkwardly bend over to pick it up. “Wouldn’t it be easier to be on a computer? We are dealing with the largest militarized organization in the universe, they couldn’t splurge.”

“They decided to switch to paper for their top secret building schematics,”

“Why would they do that,”

“They learned their lesson,” Ryan said simply with a smile. Before continuing down the corridor.

“Ryan you naughty- wait a minute.” Gavin squawked. “If you are able to break into the this places why the do you need me?”

“Because while you are breaking out our dear friend Jack, I will be using my other talents to assist in protecting you,”

“Oh,” Gavin said once again dropping the schematics. “Bollocks!” Gavin said frustrated and bent over to pick up the papers once again.

“Huh,” Ryan said lightly. “I guess it was too easy.”

“What are you on about Ryan-“ Gavin said turning his head up to be faced with three extremely large reptilian aliens. “Shit.”

________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 5: A Mistake Turned Promising

“Lookit here fellas,” the largest of the three reptilian aliens said. “We got ourselves a Gifyd.”

“You most certainly do not,” Gavin said crossly but it looked more like a child pouting because he was still kneeling on the ground.

“They are talking about my species,” Ryan said coldly watching the trio.

“ I thought youse guys were extinct.” The small brown one spat.

“You know these guys can be sold for a pretty penny at threshold market.” The midsized green one smiled and revealed knotted teeth and a long jagged tongue.

“Yeah?” the large one nodded and took a step closer to

‘Yeah. I caught one a couple of years ago and she sold for a solid lilamium bar,” Green said pulling out a small handgun. “I kept a few scales and they sold good as well,” the green one nodded. “The woman sell better but we wouldn’t get a bad price for him.”

“ I didn’t know that the IGB hired traffickers.” Ryan said his voice chilled and Gavin felt the goosebumps rise on his skin.

“They don’t care unless you got the right pedigree, Gifyd.”

“His name is Ryan you ugly git,” Gavin said feeling something simmer deep within his stomach.

“Who you calling ugly,” the smallest one sneered. “Youse the one with the volcano erupting from his face.”

“Oi- just because my nose is big doesn’t mean I won’t kick your ass,” Gavin said as the anger engulfed his accent.

“Gavin, Let me handle this,” Ryan said turning towards the trio. “It seems as if you have only encountered female Gifyd.”

“Yeah, What’s it to you,” Green said.

“Well, evolution is a really cool thing. Cause sometimes the males and females of the species differ depending on their purpose. For example, females are larger. But for the female Gifyd, evolution has given them more defensive qualities. Like how their skin is sometimes called muscle metal. In comparison, males tend to have more offensive qualities. For example,” Ryan paused as several rainbow spikes ripped from his shirt. “Poisonous barbs” Ryan finished and grabbed the midsized reptilian and pinned him against the wall and began a series of punches until he let go and Green crumpled to the floor.

“Hey,” the largest of the trio said grabbing at Ryan’s shoulder. But with a simple twitch, the reptilian’s claw jabbed right into Ryan’s uppermost spike.

“Didn’t I just tell you about these,” Ryan asked. “I did say they were poisonous right? As in stab stab now you dead?”

“You okay Gav?” Ryan asked as non-chalant as possible. Ryan had learned that most did no appreciate his spikes.

“I right as-Ryan!” Gavin screamed out.

“What?” Ryan then felt the harsh cold on his back. “Fuck,” Ryan said twisting around to see that the smallest of the reptilians had punctured the engine coolant tubing and had directed the spray at Ryan. “Run Gavin!” Ryan said feeling the familiar dizziness he got when he got too cold. He didn’t even feel the cascade of kicks at his midsection.

“Ryan,” Gavin called and tried to shove the reptilian off Ryan but even as the smallest of the group, it was still several inches taller and almost twice as muscular as Gavin.

“Get oft me ya, weak ass flesh bag,” the reptilian said flicking his tail and shoving Gavin into the wall. “You and that weapon youse have on your face should get out of here,”

“YOU MOTHERFUCKER” Gavin screamed as he felt cold heat rush to limbs and blanket his mind much like Ryan, who drifted into unconsciousness.

…

When Ryan awoke he felt a blast of heat on his face, someone shaking him, along with a distinct scent. “Why does it smell like blood?” Ryan said blinking his eyes open to see a blood covered Gavin.

“Are you alright Ryan,” Gavin said his eyes filled with worry.

“I’m fine,” Ryan said looking Gavin up and down for injuries but not seeing anything. But what about you?” Ryan asked finally looking at the surroundings. “What happened?” Ryan said losing his usual cool.

“I think the memory injector was a bit off, Ry,”

“You think?” Ryan said making a wide gesture at the bloody massacre around them. “Michael must be insane for you to be able to do that,”

“Michael?” Gavin’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “did you guys bugger it up and give us the wrong memories?” Gavin deducted correctly.

“Welll~” Ryan said not particularly wanting to get Gavin mad.

“Un-bloody believable” Gavin said turning away from Ryan, who tense in anticipation. “You really had our memories in the injectors. Not a chemical that inhibited and prohibited the recognition of our memories.”

“SO your not mad?”

“I’m livid but we can deal with this after I find Michael,” Gavin said pulling Ryan up.

~_~

“Why the hell did you lock them in the armory?” Said a voice from just outside the door.

“Cause we didn’t want them to kill us,” a second voice said.

“But why did you have to break the lock?”

“It was a precaution,”

“Now what are we going to do?” the first voice hissed. “Its not like we can keep them here.”

“Can’t we just wait till they dehydrate? Can you guys die without water?”

“I’ll die of annoyance if you two don’t shut the fuck up,” Geoff all but screeched.

“Jesus Christ, when is Ryan going to get here?” Michael huffed.

“I can’t believe that I had to call Ryan,” Geoff said resting his head in his hands in defeat.

“I do, you didn’t even have a damn plan,” Michael said. “You’re luck I was here. Without me we wouldn’t have even gotten anything.” Michael patted at the gun laying next to him before

“Michael?” a British voice said through the door.

“Gavin?” Michael said leaning his ear against the door to try and hear better.

“Hi Michael,” Gavin repeated. “it seems as if these buggers broke the mechanism that opens the door from the outside. How does it look in there?”

“Uh… not broken.”

“Flip the flap,” Gavin said and Michael opened the panel beside the mechanism that opened the door. “Now you should see a two water taps and a bunch of wires. And turn the left water tap on and the right water tap off”

“How the fuck do I understand what you’re saying,” Michael said twisting at the knobs. Gavin continued to relay instruction to Michael from across the door and after a few tense minutes the door finally opened and Michael was put face to face Gavin. “Holy shit it’s you,”

“Michael?” Gavin screeched and pulled Michael into his arms.

“My boi,” Michael yelled equally excited and pulled Gavin into a kiss.

“Oh my,” Ryan said squeezing past the reunited duo. “It seems as if our assessment of their relationship was a bit off.”

“No fucking kidding.”

~_~

“So what you are trying to tell me is that I fucked up,” Geoff asked as he flopped into the one of the seats in Ryan’s spaceship.

“That’s exactly what we are saying.” Ryan said

“I don’t see it

“First, you fucked up the memory injector and gave it to the wrong person” Michael said slamming into the chair next to Geoff.  Gavin, who bounced into the chair next to Michael, quickly followed.

“You also didn’t have a plan at all and almost got my Michael killed,” Gavin said stroking Michael’s hair for a few moments before being swatted away.  

“fuck off Gavin,” Michael said harshly but grinning none-the-less.

“Also you failed to realize the real relationship between Gavin and Michael,” Ryan said.

“The relationship thing doesn’t have anything to do with me. It was those shifty IBG bastards covering it up. Saying stuff like they weren’t compatible? They are total fucking liars.”

“Fine, but what about the memory bullshit,” Michael said crossing his arms.

“I take full fucking responsibility for that,”

“You better,” Michael huffed.

“All I wanted to do is let you two see the universe and this is the thanks I get, figures.” Geoff said under his breath but Michael heard him.

“Fuck off, Geoff. You just needed a couple of fools to save Mack’s ass,”

“Who the fuck is Mack,” Geoff said.

“I think he means Jack,” Ryan added before standing up. “Gavin would you care to join me for some tea?”

“I would love to Ryan,” Gavin said popping out of his seat.

“What about Jack,” Geoff yelled running towards Ryan.

“Don’ think you can get away,” Michael said pursuing Geoff.

“Michael please,” Gavin said following behind Michael.

  Chapter 1: Twisted.

  Dan was not a fan of soft pretzels. They were bland except for the hard chunks of salt that always managed to get stuck in his throat. A few times he had attempted to order a different type of pretzel but that went as well as he expected. And in the past three weeks, he had really started to hate the damned things. Yet here he was again. Buying the same salty pretzel from the same blonde, whom he had gotten to know quite well, and going to sit at the same gum laden bench. And it was all for that moment.

  Dan pulled out his phone. 3:42. Dan sighed. Eight more minutes until it happened. Dan idly watched the people pass by and caught a glimpse of some of the usuals. There was the hip middle-aged woman with the faux leather bag in one hand and a grandiose frappe latte in the other. Then the teenager who had started at McDonald’s this summer passed by. Her skin had looked great at the beginning of the summer, but working in the grease pit had changed that. She was still pretty though, he guessed. Then the classically pretty girl passed followed by her equally as hot boyfriend, who was carrying all the bags again.

  Dan looked down at his phone again. 3:49. Perfect. He cranked his neck to see as far down the hall as possible until he finally saw them. A glimpse of those checkered black and white shoes, then the dark wash jeans that held on loosely to his frame. Finally, the old lady moved and Dan caught a glimpse of GameStop logo on the guy’s t-shirt.

  Dan honestly didn’t know what he saw in this guy. It couldn’t be the eyebrows, although they did have a quirky-ness to them. Maybe the glasses… they made him pull off the hot-and-nerdy look pretty well.

  “Hey Ray!” One of Ray’s co-workers called from within the GameStop across from Dan.

  Ray pulled out one of his ear-buds and grinned. “You play Mordor yet?” Ray said completely skipping out on the formalities.

  It totally was the smile. Dan thought as his stomach twisted in second hand happiness.

  “Hey B” Dan was pulled from his thoughts at the familiar voice.

  “Hey Gav, how was work?” Dan said crinkling up the empty pretzel bag and tossing it in the garbage bin beside him. Dan brushed off the crumbs and stood up beside his friend.

  “Bloody awful as usual.” Gavin said rolling his eyes. “There was this one lady who couldn’t bloody understand why I couldn’t just poof the pictures onto the pages. I tried to explain that…” Gavin continued but Dan focus was definitely not on Gavin. Dan gave a final turn towards the GameStop but when he did, he found Ray looking right back at him.  Dan immediately looked away and his eyes magnetized to the ground. And Dan walked a little faster.

  ~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_

  “Stupid little shits always messing up my shelves and never buying a damned thing.” Michael said with pent up bitterness. “What the fuck are you looking at?” Michael said glancing up at Ray, who hadn’t even begun to organize the 3DS games.

  “Nobody.” Ray said sheepishly and began straightening up the games. “Nothing,” Ray quickly corrected himself.

  “Bullshit. It’s that pretzel guy again,” Michael said wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

  “Maybe.” Ray mumbled.

  “If you’re into him, then talk to him,” Michael said rolling his eyes. Ray had come out to Michael years ago and he was beyond the awkwardness of talking to him about guy drama.

  “Don’t have the time,” Ray said shrugging and not revealing the nervousness that stole any confidence he usually had around people, which wasn’t so great to begin with.

  “Then come to work like 5 minutes earlier dipshit,” Michael said moving onto the PS4 games.

  “I was up till like 4 getting achievements for Mordor. I’m going to get as much sleep as I can” Ray said with a yawn.

  “Dude, re video games more important to you than real life?” Michael asked with a scowl.  A silence filled the air until the two burst out laughing. “But seriously, you should say ‘what’s up’ or some shit like that. Break the ice so to speak.”

  “When did you become the love guru?” Ray asked.

  “Shut the fuck up Ray.” Michael laughed. “Where’s the yolo-ing guy I used to know?”

  “That was a thing like six months ago, stop torturing me with it,” Ray deadpanned.

  “YOLO!” Michael yelled.

  “Fuck you, man,” Ray mumbled and got back to organizing the games.

  “Now that’s the way you gotta talk to the pretzel guy,” Michael said, grinning.

  Chapter 2: A Change

  “Hey Kara,” Dan said with a casual smile as he walked up the pretzel stand. “How’s Joel?”

  “Alright,” Kara said fiddling with the annoying hat that she was forced to wear, “He keeps trying to get me to invest in-“

  “The gold market?” Dan laughed. He had heard the two arguing about it before and it was pretty funny to listen to the two go at it. He was sort of jealous of their relationship. “Maybe I should take a look into the stocks.” Dan smiled cheekily.

  “Please don’t. I already hear enough of it from Joel.” Kara said sighing.

  “Anyways, I’ll have the usual,” Dan said already taking out the prepared change from his pocket.

  “You sure? You have been coming to this place for the past three months and you have always gotten the same thing. How about you try the new cinnamon pretzel bites. For you, they’ll be the same price as the normal pretzel,” Kara said already turning to prepare the newest addition to the menu.

  “What’s the occasion?” Dan asked.

  “Nothing. They are just new on the menu and I really got to practice making them. And such a loyal customer deserves a treat! Just don’t tell Joel though, he gets jealous.” Kara said winking at Dan, who just laughed.

  “Cheers” Dan said after Kara passed him the bag of pretzel bites. He popped one in his mouth and gave thumbs up, “it-sh good” Dan mumbled. And he wasn’t lying. This was way better that getting those salty bits stuck in his throat.

  Dan once again sat at the gum-y bench and waited, stuffing a few pretzel bites into his mouth. But today he didn’t even get the chance to take his phone out of his pocket. When Dan had glanced down to grab his phone he saw a flash of black and white. He’s early, Dan thought. And faster than usual. By now, Ray was only a few feet away.

  “Hey,” Ray said half mumbling and only taking a quick glance at Dan.

Dan could only gape and by the time he got his bearing back, Ray was already in the GameStop chatting with one of his co-workers.

  “Bugger me.” Dan hissed and flopped his head into his hands.

  “What did you do this time?” Gain said making Dan jump.

  Dan hadn’t even noticed his friend come up behind him. “Nothing,” Dan half mumbled.

  Gavin flopped into the seat beside Dan and grabbed a couple of cinnamon pretzel bites, “Is it about that GameStop guy?”

  Dan’s head snapped towards Gavin, “How did you-“ Gavin had the smuggest smile that Dan had seen in a long time. “Yeah.”  

  “Don’t worry,” Gavin’s eyes glinted darkly. “Your B will fix you up right,”

  “What?” Dan said before Gavin grabbed one of Dan’s arms and began pulling Dan towards the gamestop. “Come on Gav. This is a bit sudden.”

  “Gotta go head first and all that,” Gavin chirped and the two were already in the store.

  “Bollocks,” Dan said and tried to straighten himself before Ray saw him.

  ~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

  “He just fucking stared at me dude,” Ray said running into the store with a pink tinge to his cheeks.

  “What?” Michael said popping up from behind the counter.

  “Pretzel guy.” Ray shook his head, “Not even like a polite smile or some bullshit. God, I must have looked like such a douche!”

  “Nah, if anything he’s not into dudes and just thought you were being nice. He probably doesn’t know how to handle the idea that people can NOT be a piece of shit.” Michael said shrugging.

“You think?”

  “Ye,” Michael said, “No big deal.” Michael said his voice quieting and them adopting a level of professionalism. “Hey, welcome to GameStop. Anything I can help you with today?”

  “I’m here to pick up Mordor.” A foreign voice said. “It’s for Gavin Free.”

  Ray glanced over, then again. Pretzel guy was in the store. Shit. Ray quickly turned back to organizing the games but his interests lied in the conversation between Michael and Pretzel guy’s British friend.  

  “Came all the way from Britain to get the game?” Michael said with a short laugh.

  “Nah, just a few stores down,” Gavin said, “surprised I haven’t seen you around.”

Ray took a glance back at the till to see the sandy hair British guy smiling at a rosy-cheeked Michael.

  “If you have any questions feel free to ask my associate Ray.” Michael said quickly retreating to the back of the store but he had enough time to give sneaky thumbs up.

  Ray felt his stomach drop as he turned to the two in front of the till and gave a polite smile. Gavin smiled back and shoved pretzel guy towards Ray, the man looked about as nervous as Ray felt. “Go and ask your question, Dan”

  “Hello.” Ray’s voice felt automatic.

  “Uh, hi” Dan said slowly.  

  Of course this guy was British too and Ray couldn’t help but think how much it suited him.

  “Is there anything I could help you with?” Ray asked, somehow keeping some professionalism.

  “I was wondering… if you had … any good games,” Dan said.

  “Tons. For what system?” Ray looked behind Dan to see that his friend was trying to stifle a laugh.

  “Xbox One?”

  “Those are near the back of the store on the left hand side,” Ray said hoping that the information he had given was correct.

  “Thanks,” Dan said turning around and began to stiffly walk towards the back of the store.

  Michael returned with the game and hissed, “Keep talking Ray,”

  Ray blurted, “So you like pretzels?”

  “They’re alright,” Dan, said turning back towards Gavin and Ray saw how red Dan’s face was. “Thanks for the help but it seems my friend is all done and I don’t want to keep him waiting,” Dan said quickly. “See you around though,” Dan flashed a smile before pulling Gavin out of the store.

  “Damn,” Michael said watching Dan drag Gavin down the hall. “Accents are hot as shit,”

  “Yeah,” Ray said.

  “So, what’d you say that made him piss off?”

  “No idea dude,” Ray said deflated.

  “Well you better figure it out by Friday,” Michael said clearly trying to suppress a smile.

  Ray felt his stomach twist. “Why Friday?”

  “I invited him to Geoff and Jack’s party,” Michael said exposing the smile.  

  “They probably won’t even come though,” Ray shrugged but he couldn’t stop the small smile that was on his face for the rest of the shift.  

  Chapter 3: Let’s Party

  “Bollocks,” Dan cursed. “I can’t believe you talked me into this B,” Dan said looking into the bustling house.

  “Come on,” Gavin said smiling. “You get to see what his name and I get to talk to Michael,”

  “His name is Ray,” Dan said somewhat defensively, “and Michael?”

  “The guy who was on the register at GameStop,” Gavin said, “He seemed top,” Gavin said smirking and dragging Dan into the house and almost immediately they saw Michael and Ray.

  “Hey!” Michael said waving and weaving through the crowd and Ray following close behind. Michael’s eyes focused on Gavin, “It great that you guys showed up.”

Dan could help but smile when he saw Ray and Ray reciprocated the gesture. Dan hadn’t known what he had expected when he saw Ray in his street clothes but it certainly wasn’t a hippo shirt. Although, Ray somehow made it work.

“

Might as well,” Gavin shrugged nonchalantly but Dan could see how excited Gavin was.

  “So… you wanna go get a shot?” Michael said looking towards the near empty kitchen.

  “Sure,” Gavin said.

  “What about you…” Michael said finally looking at Dan.

  “Dan,” Dan supplied. “And no thanks, I’m driving.” Dan patted his keys in his pocket solemnly.

  “Alright see you in a bit B” Gavin said smiling and giving Dan the thumbs up.  

They stood in silence as Gavin and Michael left until Ray cleared his throat. “So,” Ray said with a hint of hesitance in his voice, “Your boyfriend seems nice.” Ray took a swig out of his water bottle.

  “My what? You mean Gavin?” Dan said almost spitting out his drink, “He’s just my best mate.”

  “Oh” Ray’s face becoming pink.

  “I’m actually not dating anyone at the moment,” Dan said shifting on his feet.

  “Me neither,” Ray said quickly.

  “That’s cool,” Dan said smiling. “Girls can be trouble.”

  “That’s why I steer clear of them.” Ray said analyzing Dan’s reaction, which looked slightly relieved.

  “Same. Girls ain’t my cup of tea.” Dan said awkwardly.

  “Same,” Ray felt his chest pop. “You go to the mall a lot,” Ray commented and instantly his face flashed with worry, “not that there is anything wrong with that. I was just wondering why?”

  “I just pick up Gav cause he doesn’t have a car or a license,” Dan shrugged.

  “I guess me and Gavin have something in common,” Ray said smiling.

  “You don’t drive,” Dan said.

  “Only in GTA,” Ray smirked.

  “It has first person now,” Dan blurted out.

  “It’s fucking awesome, isn’t it?’ Ray said looking excited and two continued to chat about video games.

  Hours had passed and the duo had migrated onto the couches in the living room and their conversation had shifted as well. Dan had just mentioned the time that he and Gavin had bought and broke a giant water balloon. “The garden didn’t need a water for a bloody week,” Dan said grinning. Dan took a glance down at his phone that read 12:30 am. “Oh shit, it’s late,” Dan hissed.

  “It’s not that late,” Ray said looking at his own phone.

  “It’s just that I got a job interview tomorrow,” Dan shrugged.

  “That’s cool,” Ray said looking a bit disappointed. “I hope you get the job,”

  “Me too,” Dan said, “Have you seen Gav? I was going to give him a ride home,”

  “No idea, do you think that he is still with Michael?” Ray said looking around the living room.

  “Let’s take a look,” Dan said unconsciously grabbing Ray’s hand and standing up. Realizing what he’d done, Dan snapped his hand away like he has been burnt. “Sorry about that!”

  Ray’s face shone red but he was still able to reach his hand out and hold Dan’s hand. “I’m 100 percent fine with this,” Ray smiled.

  The two went room to room but they could not find their friends. They finally decided to check outside. When they opened the door, they saw Gavin and Michael kissing under the flickering porch lights.

  “OH,” Ray said loudly.

  Gavin and Michael broke apart and smiled at each other before turning to their respective friends.

  “Time to go already?” Gavin said pouting and looking slightly drunk.

  “Yeah,” Dan said, slightly jealous of how quickly Michael and Gavin had gotten together.

  “Ray,” Michael said with his lips still red from the kissing. “I think I might be bi. At the very least, Gay for Gav,” Michael said pulling Gavin in close and giving him a big sloppy kiss on the cheek, which caused Gavin to squirm and squeal in delight.

  “Alright,” Ray said nodding.

  “Carry me, Dan” Gavin said running into Dan’s arm and Dan easily caught him.

  “See you later Ray,” Dan called as he carried Gavin towards his car.

  “We are going to double date the shit out of you two,” Michael called as Dan and Gavin left.  

  “Shut up,” Ray said shoving Michael.

  “Whatever dude,” Michael said going back into the house, “Dan’s obviously into you,”  

  “And you obviously want to get into Gavin,” Ray said. A small smirk playing on his lips.

  “Hell yeah. But I’m a gentleman who takes it slow.” Michael nodded wisely and pulling out his phone.

  Ray peeked over to see who Michael could possibly be texting, everyone he knew was at this party. Ray sighed. “Are you seriously texting Gavin right now? He left like a minute ago,”

  Michael shrugged but continued to text. Then Ray felt a blast of dread. Fuck, He had forgotten to get Dan’s number.

  Chapter 4: All Straightened Out

  “Good Morning!” Ray said a bit too enthusiastically. It was the day after the party and Ray had been working a couple of hours before Michael came through the door.

“Good Morning!” Ray repeated a little louder.

  “Shut the fuck up, Ray.” Michael grumbled and made his way into the backroom. When he returned, he looked equally as miserable. Michael took one look at Ray, who was currently grinning, and groaned. “I fucking hate how you don’t drink,”

  “H2O is the way to go!” Ray said.

  “Fuck hangovers, man,” Michael rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

  “You at least remember what happened last night.” Ray’s mind immediately went to Gavin.

  “I’m not a douche, Ray” Michael said rolling his eyes. “At least not one who kisses someone and forgets about it.”

  Ray felt some relief but it was tinged with something else. “So… you and Gavin are a thing.”

  “He’s now my boi,” Michael said with a lovesick grin and he pulled out his phone and began to text.

  “Fast.” Ray said quietly realizing that he was slightly jealous of the pair.

  “What can I say?” Michael said. “I’m a passionate guy.”

  “Is that him?” Ray said nodding towards the phone in Michael’s hands.

  “Yep, we’ve been texting all morning. He drank more than me last night and damn, is he hurtin’ today,” Michael said grinning at his phone. “I’m surprised that I haven’t seen you text Dan at all.”

  Michael said looking up from his phone in time to see Ray sheepishly look away.

"You didn’t even get his fucking number?” Michael said his voice rising in shock.

Ray shrugged as if he hadn’t been kicking his own ass about it since the night before.

Sensing Ray’s self-hatred Michael said, “You know, I could get Dan’s number from Gav. Dan’s obviously interested so I don’t think he’d mind.”

  “Dude, that would make me feel like a fucking stalker. I’ll just get his number the next time I see him.” Ray shrugged but secretly hoping that Michael would insist.

  Instead, Michael just smiled and nodded towards the door. “Then you better go get him tiger,” Michael said giving Ray a small encouraging shove.

  “Goddamit,” Ray smiling and he made his way to the front of the store to meet Dan.

“Hello, Ray,” Dan said with a wide grin.

  “Hey,” Ray tried to avert his gaze from the bright, although a bit goofy, smile.

  “Sorry if this is a bit weird,” Dan said beginning to ramble. “I was going to text you but then I forgot to get your bloody number. Gav’s always saying I’m a bit daft. I was going to just get your number from him, Gav I mean. You met him at the party, I think. But Gav’s at work, and I saw you here~”

  “Get to the fucking point!” Michael screamed from across the store without even looking up from the games he was tagging.

  “Sorry,” Dan said. A small blush on his cheeks. “But first, let’s exchange numbers. Gav bet me a quid that I would forget again.” Dan pulled out his phone and handed it to Ray.  

  “You better use that on our first date,” Ray said comfortable enough to relax his filter but Ray didn’t really know how Dan would react.

  “I’m not so cheap that I would only spend a quid on our first date,” Dan said in mock offense.

  “As long as it’s enough to pay for some taco bell, then I’m fine,” Ray said grinning. “Also you said you have something to tell me?”

  Dan did a small laugh. “Of course, I bloody forgot.” Dan said. “I was just going to tell you that I got a job at the mall.”

  “Really?” Ray said, his heart slightly fluttering. “When do you start?”

  “Starting my orientation today!” Dan said grinning.

  “Cool.”

  “I was thinking, if we had the same break we could hang out a bit or something,” Dan said suddenly become bashful. “My break’s at 4:15”  

“I already had my break,” Ray said. And saw how Dan’s shoulders sagged a bit. “But I get off at 4.” Ray quickly added. “I could dick around for a bit and then we could hang out,”

  “Brilliant,” Dan said with a even bigger smile than before.

"Maybe get pretzels or something?” Ray said.

  Dan’s face turned white. “Actually, I’m not really a fan of pretzels.”

  “Then why did you always eat then?”

  Dan’s voice was barely above a whisper, “Cause then I would have a chance to see you when I was picking up Gav."

  “Oh.” Ray’s face was heating up.

  Ray heard a loud snort come from where Michael was. Ray glared at Michael who was trying to hold in his laughter. Ray could distinctly hear Michael call them, “Fucking love-struck dumbasses”   

_______________________

ON THE FIRST DAY ON MAYVIN…

  “Where in the fuck is he?” Michael said as he furiously tried to open the door to the apartment.

  “Michael,” Ray said slipping between the angry young man and his victim. “He’s probably just dicking around somewhere.”

  “ But why the fuck didn’t he tell us-“ Michael was furious over the fact that Geoff had to tell them that Gavin wasn’t going to England today for the holidays since his flight had apparently been cancelled.

  “Whoa.” Ray interrupted.

  “What is it?” Michael said turning and finding the answer. “wow.”

  In the middle of the apartment living room was a huge- Gavin sized- giggling box.

  “Are you fucking kidding me.“ Michael said laughing.

  “Jesus.” Ray said holding onto Michael for some support from laughing.

  “Shhhhh-“ Michael said trying to quiet both Ray and himself.  “Hey Ray, Glad Gavin’s gone now we can have some fun” Michael said a little to clearly.

  “Yeah.” Ray said catching on. The giggling in the box stopped. “Good thing we only have a giant box to watch and hear us.” Ray played with the zipper of his jacket before continuing. “Oh Michael.” Ray moaned.

  Michael covered his face with his arm to try and quiet the laughter. “Come on Ray, rip my clothes off”

     “My pleasure.” Ray said leaning into Michael’s curls with a cheeky grin.

  The two shuffled their way towards the box and continued their faux foreplay. But in a moment between their own moaning and cooing they heard a foreign whimper.

  “Okay Ray, let’s finish this up” Michael whispered to Ray.

   “You mean postpone it.” Ray countered with a raise of an eyebrow.

  “Fuck off.” Michael smiled pulling at his hat to cover his reddening ears. “You ready?”

  Ray casually raised two thumbs us.”

  And Michael began. “You know, I really can’t wait till Christmas to open this present.”

  “Me neither. I wonder what could possible be in a box this big!”

  “ let’s open it and find out.” Michael said hearing the giggling from the box begin again.

  “Let’s do it on the count of three,” Ray said taking a step towards the box. “One.”

  “Two.” Michael said making extending the word longer than it should.

  “THREE” Gavin screamed popping out from the box. He looked at the two back and forth trying to catch the look of surprise on their faces. The huge grin faded into a pout, “Sausages, did Geoff tell you?”

  “Nope the big ass present told us.” Michael said.

  “Wot?”

  “We heard you giggling, dude.” Ray sighed.

   “But aren’t you excited for this.” Gavin frowned.

  “For what? You dicking around. It’s something we have gotten used to, Gavin.”

  “No you little minges, I’m staying here for the holidays!” Gavin grinned proudly at the look of shock on his two lads faces.

  “You shitting me.” Michael said with a note of warning in his voice.

  “Nope.”

  “WhooHOOO!” Ray screamed tackling Gavin into a hug. “whoa.” Ray said taking a cautious step back.  “Got a little hot in the box?”

  “Why? Am I sweating?” Gavin said.

  “Other kind of hot?” Ray said pointing to Gavin’s crouch.

  Michael burst in hysterics. “Sweet Jesus. You got that from listening to us.” Michael cradled his near bursting stomach.

  “You my boi’s what can you expect.” Gavin pouted.

    “So uhh you need me to do anything about that? I do need a present for you now.” Ray said.

  “Aww shit.”

  “Is that why they are always late?” Gavin said looking between the Ray and Michael, who both had sheepish look on their face.

    ONE BRITISH CUTIE

    _______________________CHAPTER TWO_______________________

  ON THE SECOND DAY OF MAYVIN…

  Gavin awoke to an empty bead. An empty hall. And an empty apartment. What is going on? Gavin thought as he searched the apartment several times for his Ray and Michael.

  “This doesn’t makes sense: Gavin mumbled. He thought that they would be thrilled to see him and want to spend all day together. This would be after all their first full Christmas together.

  Gavin wandered around the apartment for a few more moments before settling in front of his Xbox One. He turned it on and began playing Halo. It was until a couple hours later that he felt the urge have some tea.

  He walked to the kitchen and grabbed the kettle. It want until the pot was half filled that he noticed the note on it.

  It read;

  Dear Stupid,

Don’t wander the apartment all day because you don’t know where we are. We went shopping. If you called you would have known, stupid.

  Love Michael

              <3 Ray    

  “Silly little minges,” Gavin said with a special glint in his eyes as he looked for some more wrapping paper.

    “WHERE IN THE FUCK ARE WE GOING TO FIND HIM A PRESENT?!?” Michael yelled as he drove to the mall with an equally uneasy enpression.

  ‘How the hell should I know?” Ray said tapping on his leg.

  “How about divide and conquer .” Michael suggested. 

  “What is this king of the hill.”

“Shut the fuck up, Ray.” Michael said snagging a parking spot. “We meet at the car at 3 or you walk home.” he slammed the door

  Michael rushed through the mall and got everything he hopefully needed. When he arrived at his car at three he saw that Ray had been equally successful.

  “Let’s get the fuck out of here.” Ray said.

  “Why?”

  “Too soon man.” Ray shook his head and got into the passenger seat.

  A half hour ride back, the two had finally reached the apartment.

  “thank god we’re home” Michael said unlocking the door.

  “Gavin better love all the goddamn- goddamnit” Ray said interrupting himself.

  “What. The. Fuck.” Michael said looking around his entirely wrapped entranceway. “you gotta be fucking kidding me.” Michael said as he crunched over the wrapped carpet flooring. Everything was wrapped; the walls, the picture frames, the tv, the Xbox. Even the fucking kitchen sink.

  And in the middle of it was the smuggest looking Gavin. “A little British tradition>” Gavin said thickening his accent on purpose.

  “But WHY!?!” Ray said utterly dumbfounded.

    “Eh.” Was Gavin’s response and that was NOT good enough for Michael.  

  “WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN BY EH!?! YOU WRAPPED THE ENTIRE FUCKING HOUSE YOU LITTLE SHIT.”

  “Sorry mi-cool” Gavin said in a tiny voice.

  Michael saw the look in Gavin’s eyes and sighed. “Shit. Just don’t do this again. It’s a waste of goddamn money.” Michael left for the bedroom.

  And as soon as Michael turned the cheekiness returned to Gavin’s eyes.

  “You’re a little shit you know that.” Ray said as he began to unwrap the TV and Xbox.

  “EVEN MY FUCKING SOCK!” Michael screamed and Ray couldn’t help but chuckle.

  TWO CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS

    _______________________CHAPTER THREE_______________________

   ON THE THIRD DAY OF MAYVIN

  “I wanna open presents” Gavin complained while the three lads finished cleaning up their dinner plates.

  “You serious?” Ray smirked. “It’s like 10 days away from

  “Ignore him Ray, He’s just being a winey bitch.” Michael mumbled as he furiously washed the plates.

    “But Micool-“ Gavin pleaded

  “NO.”

  “Come on Michael.” Ray smiled innocently. 

  “Ok fine. Just one Gavin.”

  “Can it be a joint present?” Gavin asked.

  “It’s way past 4:20 Vav, sorry.” Ray deadpanned.

  “Just go get your presents before I change my mind.” Michael said with a hidden smile. He knew exactly which one he was going to give.

  “Thanks Michael.” Gavin said scrambling to get the perfect one.

  “This is going to be awesome.” Ray chuckled.

  They all ran to their respective present hiding places and took a few extra minutes to get it just right.

  Michael was the first to return to the living room. “Ok Guys we all face a different way and on the count of three we show each other.” 

  “Okay.” Ray said.

“This is going to be so bloody top. Can I count?” Gavin squealed.

   “Fine.” Ray and Michael said in unison.

  “One. Twwwwwo. THREE” Gavin screamed with his arms in the air and his present suspended, almost magically, at his waist. He turned to face Ray who’s present was also at crotch level and he had his hands resting behind his head. Lastly Michael was holding his present with the biggest shit-eating grin on his face.

  “GODDAMN IT.” Michael screamed good heartedly.

  Gavin looked a bit confused at all this. and just mumbled “who?”

  The only one who seemed slightly composed was Ray who said“So… are we going to unwrap these suckers or what?”  as he eyeed the presents feverishly.

  “Goddamn it Ray.” Michael said as Gavin reached for the bows finally getting the idea of what exactly they got each other..

  THREE D*CKS IN BOXES!

    _______________________CHAPTER FOUR_______________________

  ON THE FOURTH DAY OF MAYVIN…

  Gavin burst into the apartment with the slyest grin on his face.

  “God, what is he going to do today” Ray mumbled barely noticing the bag in the brit’s hand.

  “I brought us home a surprise.” Gavin squealed.

  “Uhhhh-“ Ray said and grabbed his phone to warn Michael, who had gone grocery shopping, of the upcoming danger.  

  “I bought us something special.” Gavin nodded. Shuffling around in his bag.

  “Food?” Ray yawned.

  “Nope. You silly donut” Gavin said pulling out some tape. He ran to the kitchen and dragged one of the chairs into the center of the living room.

  “What are you doing, man?’’ Ray asked slightly annoyed. He had been trying to get this achievement for the past four hours and there was no way that Gavin was going to screw this up because of one of his adorable pranks.

  “You shall see.” Gavin climbed on the chair and began to tape something to the celling.

  “Don’t hurt yourself Vav.” Ray commented trying to see the screen from between Gavin’s legs.

  “Never do.” Gavin chirped.

  “Bullshit.” Michael screamed from the other side of the door. “Now let me in. I have all the food.”

  Gavin gave no indication to moving so reluctantly Ray stood up opened the door for Michael, who undoubtedly had made one trip to get a cart full of grocery’s. “Jesus, won’t I be easier to do it in, I don’t know, two trips?”

  “You think I’m a fool!” Michael huffed and ungracefully dropped the groceries on the table. “Now what shit had Gavin gotten into today?” 

  “Look what I got!” Gavin laughed and jumped off the chair in a rare instance of grace.

  “What?”

  “Up there!” Gavin said pointing to the celling.

  Michael and Ray looked up to see a large bunch of mistletoe taped to the celling.

  “So what?” Michael said shrugging. He had some in one of the Christmas boxes. It wasn’t anything new.

  ‘No Micool- it’s real” Gavin said with the brightest smile. “it means we have to kiss under it no matter what.”

  Ray turned towards Michael with a smile. “Bet Gavin kisses you first.”

  “Fuck that. 20 bucks says that you kiss that ugly mug first.”

  “Hey!”

  “I don’t bet money.” Ray shrugged.

  “Then if I get both of you then we have to do the thing.”

  “Fine.” Both Ray and Michael said in unison.

  Over the next couple of days the two had been avoiding the living room especially when Gavin was home but each of them got caught at least once.

  Ray was tricked when Gavin said that he got the secret achievement on accident, which caused Ray to run in to see how he did it.

  “Gav where’d you go?” Ray said looking at the empty living room. There was no reply and not even the standard giggling Gavin did while he was hiding.

  ‘Gavin? Gavino?” Ray called and started to become slightly worried.

      Michael was cornered when Gavin started to moan saying that his stomach was hurting in the death of dawn, which made Michael to come out to scream/ check to makes sure that his boi was ok. Michael saw the brit was tucked nicely into the couch with his back to Michael and out of habit, Michael walked around where the mistletoe was taped to the ceiling.

  “What happened?” Michael sighed.

  “I need a hug.” Gavin whimpered.

  “Like hell you do.”

  “Please Micool?”

  “Fine.” Michael had leaning in and before Michael knew what was happening Gavin grabbed his by the wrist and have him a quick and quite forceful kiss.  “Gavin you have to be under fucking mistletoe.” Michael said rubbing at his mouth. “That hurt, damn it.”

  “ Sorry, Michael. But look!” Gavin said pointing the mistletoe in his hand.

  “GODDAMNIT.”

  “Micool” Gavin said sweetly.

  “What the fuck-“ Michael said before being interrupted by British  lips. And unlike before they were soft and carful.

  “Sorry for hurting you.” Gavin said his eyes glistening with remorse.

  “damn it.” Michael said sighing. “Ray get in here.” He called.

  “sup” Ray said sauntering in from the hall.

  “Closer.” Michael said while Gavin begun to giggle.

  “Okay,” Ray said taking a couple steps forward before being snatched into an embrace by Michael. “dipshit won.”

  “I am an awesome singer anyways.” Ray smiled and snuck a kiss to Michael as Gavin pouted.  

  Ray and Michael glanced at each other before grabbing their little brit and smothering him in kissed.

  FOUR MISTLETOE KISSES.

================

Chapter 1: 

The Grind was a pretty sweet job for Ray. It was a coffee shop that had become a devote place for the poor student gamer and just two bus stops away from the local college and with arguably the best free Internet in the city. It was a Shangri-La. He would never admit it but he was damn grateful that his best friend was able to snag a job for him.

“Four triple espressos.” A familiar voice said flatly, snapping Ray out of his train of thought.

“Anything for the rest of the group, Monty?” Ray smirked.

“They can get it themselves.” Monty yawned.

“How’s the show?” Ray asked. Monty and his crew had been working on a web series for the last couple of months and after watching a couple of episode he’d been hooked.

“Stressful.” Monty said walking back to his group.  Ray chuckled and began working on the drink. But before he could even finish the second drink he was interrupted.

“A peppermint latte, my kind sir.” The redhead said in mock seriousness.

“Anything for the lady” he said before turning to face Lindsay, who was the main voice for Monty’s show and the better half of Ray’s best friend.

“Michael get your ass out here,” Ray yelled towards the back. Now at most places, yelling at another employee was frowned upon but at The Grind people were either pugged into their games or just didn’t care.

“Now what do you want you stupid shit, I just started my motherfucking break. Nothing interrupts that. Ever.” Michael said without looking up from his DS. 

“Ever?” Ray smirked.  

“Of course, fucking ever. I told you that no nothing until break is over or I beat Pokémon.” Michael still hadn’t looked up to the screen.

“Really?” Lindsay said cocking an eyebrow.

“Or if Lindsay comes.”  Michael said looking quite flustered.

“Buuuuulllll shhhit” Ray droned.

 “Nice save. Now you want to trade starter Pokémon eggs or what?” Lindsay winked before walking back to the table with Monty and the crew.

“I Love you so fucking much right now.” Michael growled and followed her.

“Ahhh, young love.” A rough yet high voice said. “Now when are you going to find a nice… someone? Who’s your type? Tough and brawny or thin and wilily. Or someone with a huge d- ”

“I dunno but I would appreciate it if you would keep your voice down.” Ray muttered in the most aggressive manner possible.

Geoff tsked, “Shouldn’t be talking to your boss that way.”

“Shouldn’t be talking about peoples personal affairs so openly.”

“Then they shouldn’t make out behind the store and get caught.” From the look in Ray’s eyes, Geoff knew he had pushed enough. “Just go and make some damn coffee”  

Four espressos and one peppermint latte later, Michael’s break was over long ago but Geoff had left on an errand and the place was quiet. Ray sighed. Absolutely nothing had happened today.Midterm session always sucked the life from The Grind. Cramming from midterms was a bitch for everyone.

Caught in another daydream, Ray didn’t hear the double click as the door opened and closed or the person approaching the counter.

“hello, I was wondering what tea you had.” The foreign voice asked.

 “Let me take a look there, Governor.” Ray said mockingly before looking at the man.

“Pretty good.” The man grinned.

“Oh shit, you’re actually British. I’m used to people always asking for tea in an accent. Damn it.” at this point Ray had gotten his first good look at the man in front of him. Ray gulped as he took in the man’s features. Tanned skin, messy hair, and loud green eyes, and a far too British nose, but the thing that caught Ray was the man’s goofy grin.

“It’s fine, love. It’s refreshing to have someone treat me like I’m not some sort of rare specimen. So the tea types?”

Ray blanked. “uhhh- the orange bird one, and the normal grey one, and a lemon herb stuff and umm-“

“I’ll have the orange bird one. Thank you” The brit smiled warmly.

“You can have a seat if you like.” Ray said flushed as his brain caught up with his mouth.”

“I’m happy right here.” The man winked causing Ray to nearly overheat. “I’m Gavin by the way”

“Ray.”

“Nice meeting you.”     

The two continued to chatted until Ray handed the tea to Gavin, who promptly took it and placed it on the counter beside him and continued to talk about halo3. It wasn’t until the tea had become lukewarm when Gavin said he had to go.

The rest of the night progressed smoothly. Michael got his DS taken away from manager Jack, Monty had to be waken up to go home, and Geoff had come back to say how he had almost lost his errand, of course this didn’t make any sense because he was half drunk. But all Ray could think about was about Gavin and how Ray had never known he had a thing for accents.

================

Chapter 2:

Ray only had one secret in his life. Just one and he hated how he had kept all these years. He only had to say three words. That’s it, easy. Everybody would know and everybody wouldn’t care. He knew he had the friends who would accept it. Even rip on him about it. But still Ray couldn’t say anything.

The two were walking back to their respective apartments when Michael asked the question that had been nagging at him for the last couple days.  “Who is she?”

“Who’s who?” Ray asked.

“The chick you’ve been sighing over the last couple of day.” Michael said rolling his eyes.

“I haven’t been sighing about anything.” But he had. Since Ray had met Gavin, everyone had noticed a subtle change in Ray. Whenever the door would open he would snap his head in that direction and always turn back disappointed.

“Don’t fuck with me Ray. We’ve all seen it. Lindsay thinks I know and has been bugging the shit out of me too tell her.” Michael said stretching.

“Maybe I had my eyes on someone but I only saw them once.”

“At The Grind?” Michael said hoping to get some more details out of his best friend,

“Yep.”

“Is she hot?”

“The hottest person I ever seen.” Ray said smiling softly.

 “Nice.” Michael said nodding.

“I know.”

The two walked in silence until they reached Michael’s bus stop. And as Michael boarded the bus he turned, “I will find out who she is.” Michael smiled cheekily.

The bus doors closed before he could hear Ray’s response but the look on Ray’s face was the furthest thing from love-struck idiot, Michael had been a few months ago with Lindsay. Michael could only wonder what Ray had said…

Please don’t.

================

Chapter 3: 

It was between rushes when Geoff called all the employees to the back of the shop. Everyone was confused at this because Geoff hated all the official stuff and usually left it to his wife Griffon and once he even got his daughter to do it. “Alright bitches.” Geoff began. “For the next four months, I will be hosting a student. He’s coming to the shop in a hour and he may be a bit of a prick but he’s a good kid. Treat him like you would Millie. I don’t want the British embassy on my ass.” Geoff punctuated his speak with a yawn before shooing the employees to the front.

When Michael and Ray came to the front, they saw a confused looking Lindsay.

“Why were you in the back? Someone die.” Lindsay said trying to peek behind the boys.

“Geoff’s getting a new kid.” Michael said.

“Griffon’s pregnant” Lindsay said enthusiastically.

“He’s hosting a kid.” Michael said rolling his eyes, “Now what do you want.”

“Peppermint latte. You know that” Lindsay said giving he boyfriend a look.

“Just thought you might want to try something different,” Michael said before beginning the drink.

“So…” Lindsay said turning her attention to Ray, “I heard you have your eye on someone.” Lindsay finished with raising her eyebrows suggestively.

“Michael didn’t tell you who it was?” Ray said trying to hid a smirk. He was going to have his own against the snoopiest couple he knew.

“NO!” Lindsay said looking between Michael and Ray.  

Michael swerved around, “He didn’t tell me jack-shit” Michael hollered.

“Really?” Lindsay said.

“Sorry Linds. But I didn’t tell him anything cause there isn’t anything to tell” Ray shrugged.

“Ok,” Lindsay said giving Ray a look. “So what’s the kid like?”

“No idea.” Ray said.

“I think he’s British.” Michael said.

“Awwww, that’s going to be adorable!” Lindsay cooed.  

“Careful Michael he might steal your girl.” Ray said untying his apron and grabbing his bag. 

“Nuh-Uh. I’m a fucking prize. No way could Lindsay find anything better than me.” Michael said cockily.

“This is true.” Lindsay said smiling before giving Michael a peck on the lips.

“Try and not get too frisky in the store. Geoff is a nosy bastard.” Ray warned.

“HEY!” Ray heard his boss’s voice from the back.

“See?” Ray said laughing as he exited the shop. The cold air first hit Ray’s glasses, fogging them instantly. “Damn it.” Ray mutter as he took off his glasses to rub the fog off. Now a normal person would stop to do this, but not Ray. He continued walking as he rubbed at his glasses and eventually stumbled into someone.

“hello again.” The voice that had been bouncing around in his head said.

“Hi Gavin.” Ray said trying to force down the smile that had sprung instantly.

“You remember me?”

“Kind of hard to forget” Ray said shyly.

“Bugger off.” Gavin said laughing.

“What?” Ray said.

“Never mind.”  Gavin said. “You know you have lovely eyes” Gavin said leaning in. Ray felt a deep flush in his cheeks before leaning back and quickly replacing his glasses.

"Thanks… you too and I would love to chat some more but my break is almost over and… bye” Ray said sheepishly. He gave a quick wave and began to walk back to The Grind. He wasn’t lying but he was also glad that he could escape the situation. 

When he got back to the shop, Ray was half surprised to see the Brit sitting at one of the tables sipping on a cup of tea. He gave Ray a cheeky grin before continuing his chat with Lindsay. The flushness erupted on his cheeks once again as Ray watched the two talk. 

“We’ve been fucking had,” Michael said looking towards Gavin and Lindsay. “Geoff made him seem like a little kid.” Michael finally noticed the red in his best friends cheek, “You okay man?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty cold out. Glasses fogged and stuff” Ray said hardly paying attention to what Michael was saying.

“Yeah-” Michael started before being interrupted by Geoff. 

  “Ray get your ass over here,” Geoff said walking towards Gavin and Lindsay. With eyes staring intensely at his shoes, Ray made his way over to the trio

 “Yeah?” Ray said trying not to make eye contact with Gavin.

 “Since you missed the formal introductions, this is Gavino Free?”

 “Gavino?” Ray said directly looking towards Gavin.

 “Xbox tag.” Gavin said. 

“ How’d you get here before me?” Ray asked awkwardly. Now that he was looking at Gavin he was caught.

“I ran.”

“Why?” Ray laughed.

“Walking is boring,” Gavin said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You should try it sometime”

“I’m not really the running type.” Ray said

“Damn straight. The only place Ray runs is in videogames” Michael said goodheartedly. 

“I bet I could make him run” Gavin said giving Ray a wink. Ray never knew his face could go this red.

 ================

Chapter 4: 

After a couple of hours, Gavin had already found himself a place in The Grinds crew and Ray had been able to suppress himself from blushing whenever the brit got within a couple of feet of him.

“I say we all go for some bev’s to get to know each other,” Gavin declared and slammed his tea mug onto the table. By now most of the patrons and employees had left. And only the three had remained to clean up before closing.

“I concur.” Michael said already mocking Gavin’s British accent.

“You’re a real arse, you know that?” Gavin laughed.

“Duh, it’s my job.” Michael said grabbing his coat. Gavin looked towards Ray for some clarification.

“He’s the rage quit guy on YouTube.” Ray said.

“You’re having a laugh.”

“Nope. Thousands of subscribers.” Ray smiled as Gavin opening his phone to Youtube.

“Bloody hell.” Gavin marveled as a rage filled voice echoed through the phone.

“Yep I know. I guess everyone is caught by his charm” Ray said gaining a snort of laughter from Gavin.

“I like to mingle with the little people.” Michael said with an air of arrogance from the other room.

“And his mom made,” Ray said leaning close to Gavin.

“Shut the fuck up, Ray. My mom didn’t make me do anything.” Michael walked in from the back replacing his green work shirt and apron with a rage quit shirt and jacket.  

“So what about you, Ray? Any special talents.” Gavin looked Ray up and down causing Ray to fidget in his.

“Nahhh,” Ray said avoiding eye contact with the Brit. It amazed him how one second he could be taking to Gavin normally and the next he was acting like a middleschool-er.

“Bullshit, this guy has over 375,000 Gamerscore.” Michael said zipping up his coat.

“Really?” Gavin said looking at Ray with interest.

 “Don’t like leaving a game unfinished.” Ray shrugged Gavin as he tried to hide the emerging smile on his face by walking to the back. 

Ray ripped off his work shirt as one hand blindly grabbed for his shirt in his bag. It wasn’t there. Then he heard familiar giggles.

“Goddammit.” Ray muttered under his breath. He and Michael had been playing this game for the past couple of weeks and Ray knew the routine and without thinking he came running into the front and tackled Michael.

“Grabbin, save me!” Michael screamed as Ray muffled him with his palm.

“Grabbin? What are you four?” Ray laughed as he tried to grab at the shirt beneath Michael’s jacket.

“Shut the fuck up, Ray!” Michael roared. “Or I, Mogar, shall ruin you!”

“Gross.” Ray said preparing his secret weapon. With a cry of triumph, Ray slipped his fingers to Michael’s sides and began to tickle.

“NO!NO!!NO!!!” Michael screamed with laughter, “Gavin help!!!”

“Nahh, I’m enjoying this way too much to do that.” Gavin said leaning back into his chair.

“Damn you Ray. I shall give you your prize.” Michael said, ripping out the t-shirt and throwing at Ray’s face. “Better put that on fast, you’re getting a bit perky there.” Michael said gesturing at Ray’s chest.

Ray looked down. Then up at Michael. Down again. And lastly at Gavin, who was just smiling cheekily. Ray scratched at the shirt to try and put it on as fast as he could but in the process he dropped it three times. When he finally got it on, both Gavin and Michael were giggling to themselves.

“Ray,” Michael said between giggles, “They still want to play peak-a-boo”

“They just want their presence to be known.” Gavin giggled. Ray rubbed quickly over his nipples to try and warm them up.

“Damn it” Ray said rubbing even more furiously. It didn’t help that he had a certain British man stuck in his mind.

“Dude, you are going to rub them off,” Michael said while his previous laughter subsided.

“You want to borrow my jacket?” Gavin said smiling.

“Nahh, it’s fine” Ray said. Trying to rub the developing redness from his face.

“It’s not going to ruin your limited manliness, Ray.” Michael said grabbing at Gavin’s coat off the chair. Michael threw the coat towards Ray. Ray held the army green jacket in his hand like it was about to burst into flames. “If you don’t put it on everyone is going to think your horny or something.” Michael said walking out the door.      

“Don’t worry about it. I’m plenty warm in what I’m wearing now.” Gavin said loudly before leaning into Ray’s ear and whisper, “And we wouldn’t want anyone to think you were… excited.” With this Gavin ran after Michael with a reluctant sigh Ray followed.

================

Chapter 5: 

For a Wednesday night, the bar was pretty busy. In the corner were a couple businessmen, who were evidently just off from work and at the bar were a couple college girls sipping martinis.

“Three of your finest brews” Gavin called to the young barkeeper.

“Two and a coke.” Ray corrected, which gained a confused look from Gavin.

“Not feeling like a bev?” Gavin asked.

“Don’t drink.” Ray sighed. This always happened when he met new people. He wouldn’t drink. They would try and convince him to and then he would have to explain the promise to his grandfather and his dad’ drinking.

“Then I guess I will have to drink enough for the both of us.” Gavin said taking the beer from the barkeeper and chugged half of it. “For a second, I thought you didn’t like me.” Gavin smiled sheepishly.

“ If I didn’t like you, then I wouldn’t be wearing your jacket.”

“I thought it was because you a bit … cold” Gavin winked.

“You’re getting creepier by the fucking second.” Michael said pushing off from the table. “I’m going to go take a piss.”

“Dan, always says I’m a bit creepy when I’m flirting.”

“Dan?” Ray said, while he tried to internalize the fact that Gavin had just acknowledged the fact that he was flirting with Ray.

“My mate from England.” Gavin said nostalgically. “That’s his old jacket you’re wearing. He gave it to me as a going away present, that cheap prick.”  

“This isn’t your jacket?” Ray said suddenly feeling very awkward.

“I just said that, you doughnut.” Gavin said.

“Don’t you think that’s a bit weird that I’m wearing your boyfriend’s jacket?” Ray asked tugging at a sleeve.

“What you on about? Dan isn’t my boyfriend!” Gavin said with a laugh. “He’s by best friend.”

“Oh that makes sense.” Ray sighed.

“I haven’t dated anyone since Graham. How about you?” Gavin said leaning in with obvious curiosity.

 “Solo.” Ray said before internally slapping himself. That may have been the lames way to say he was single.

“No boyfriend… or girlfriend. Sweet.” Gavin said happily.

“Nope I don’t have a boy-“ Ray began before being interrupted by Michael.

“I’m back. What did I miss.” Michael said without sound all that interested. “Gav, that girl totally wants to get in your pants.” Michael said grinning wolfishly. “You should go talk to her.”

“I’d rather be here with my boys.” Gavin said hooking his arms around Michael and Ray’s necks.

“You’re such a fucking pussy.” Michael laughed taking a gulp of his warming beer.

The lads, a nickname they had come up with in drunken ramblings, stayed long into the night. The only reason they had left was because Michael and Gavin had started wrestling and the barkeeper had threatened to ban them. Overall Ray had an excellent time, Gavin had kept trying to use cheesy pickup lines on him, which had him blushing and Michael pissing himself laughing. 

================

Chapter 6:

 “Alright, on Friday I’m having a small get together.” Geoff said popping a head in from the back.

“Why?” asked one of the younger employees.

“ We can come up with that later.” Geoff said yawning. “Ray, come early to help set up.”

“Uhh sure?” Ray asked.

“Good. Now Michael, make the sign that says The Grind is going to be closed on Saturday.”

“Boss, it would be my pleasure.” 

Friday Evening

Ray walked up the chalk-covered pavement to Geoff front door. He knocked three times before he decided it would be a good idea to just walk in. And in hindsight, it was a pretty damn good decision. 

In front of him, was a towel clad Gavin. The man had large headphones on and with his eyes closed as he lazily rested on the couch. Ray couldn’t help but get an eye full.

Ray noticed that Gavin was a very hairy man but somehow he made it work. The stubble on his chin was sharp but made him emit a devil may care aura. As Ray’s eyes drifted he watched as the brits chest hair thinned and Ray had to hold his hands back to prevent himself from tracing the thick treasure trail, down, down down. Ray found that his eyes were stuck on a particular part of the anatomy, when Gavin decided to open his eyes.

“BLOODY HELL!” Gavin screamed as he scrambled to his feet all the while losing the only article of clothing that he had on.

“Jesus.” Ray watched. 

“What the dicks is going on here?” Geoff said trying to cover his eyes. “I’m gone for 20 minutes and my house had turned into a porno.”

“No Geoff.’’ Gavin said, his face getting redder by the moment.

“ God dammed Gavin cover up!” Ray said an equal shade of red. 

“Ray” Geoff coughed trying to hid laughter. “Maybe you should cover up too.”

“Oh my god.” Ray said grabbing a pillow.

“Oh Love, it looks like your nips aren’t the only thing that want to make themselves know.” Gavin giggled in the nude.

“Get some Bloody Clothes On!!” Geoff and Ray said in unison. Gavin ran into the other room covering as much as he could.

“I can’t believe you go so far so soon.” Geoff whistled.

“Nope. It was a bad bad mistake.” Ray said shaking his head.

“Or a good good mistake.”

“Maybe.”

“Oh dicks dude. This is just so adorable! I’m like a little matchmaker or some shit. Griffon is going to love it when I tell her our little Gavywavy is going to be dating Ray” Geoff cooed.

“She knows.” Ray said. His face draining paler than what he thought could be possible.”

“She guessed.” Geoff said his eyebrows furrowing.

“That’s cool.” Ray laughed meagerly.

“It’s Griffon, Ray.” Geoff said without breaking eye contact.

“I know. It just didn’t feel like she knew.” Ray said feeling as if something had shifted inside of him.

“It’s Griffon. She’s fucking perfect.” Geoff said. And a smile crept to his face as he thought about his wife.  

“You bitches ready to party!” Gavin screamed from the other room.

“Hell yes” Geoff called. And with full seriousness in his voice Geoff asked “Ray, are your going to get your party on?”

“Geoff. I never leave home without it.”  Ray smiled as he tried to pull attention away from the pillow he was holding.

================

Chapter 7:

Geoff’s house had erupted into a party. The booze was flowing freely and everyone was drinking like it was going out of style (as Jack put it). The lad had settled in the basement. And two thirds of them had proceeds to drink several of ounces of choice beverages between them. They were not drunk but they were certainly close.

 “I’m getting more booze!” Geoff declared before exiting out of the room.

“DO you have a girl friend back home?” A girl named Kara asked.

“Nope!”

“How about some one you like back in England.” Another named Barbra said nudging Gavin.

“Nope!” Gavin cheered before leaning in like he had a secret. The rest of the crowd had gathered closer to hopefully hear another ridiculous thing that the brit would say. “ I like someone in this very room”

The crowd gasped in drunken shock and Ray just gulped.

“Who is it?” Lindsay said leaning forward. 

“I will show you.” Gavin said standing up dramatically.

He took a few steps towards Ray and everyone let out a collective breath.

“Guys, he’s just fucking with us” Michael hiccupped.

“I’m not.” Gavin said pulling Ray to his feel and before Ray could figure out exactly what was going on, it happened.

 With an expert hand, Gavin reached out and tugged Ray’s glasses off. He slid them into Ray’s hand. With a smile that whispered perfection, Gavin leaned in and Ray was caught.

Hot breath.

Cold fingertips.

Two noses tickling each other.

bliss.     

Gavin Kissed Him.    

================

Chapter 8: 

The warmth on Ray’s lips sent surges through his entire body. His eyes fluttered as Gavin’s fingers softly massaged the nook of Ray’s neck. Ray wanted to do … anything but he felt if he moved he would ruin the moment, and have to deal with the aftermath. He knew how corny it sounded in his head, but he seriously wanted this kiss to last forever but the two needed to breath.

With a gasp, Gavin released Ray. The two stared at each other for a moment before Gavin leaned in to begin the second round.

“Uh-“ Michael said breaking the tense silence of everyone in the room, “You’re gay?”

“Of course I am, you minge.” Gavin said rolling his eyes.

“Ray?” Michael said looking at his best friend. Gavin’s head snapped towards Ray and in the first serious look he had since coming to America, Gavin waited for Ray’s response.

“… Well this has been a thing.” Ray said looking around at all the expressions of the room. He waited for someone to say something. He turned to Gavin who looked like he was about to cry.

“I didn’t know…” Gavin was barely audible. “If I did, I wouldn’t have, I’m so sorry. Oh my god I just out-ed the only guy I’ve ever been serious about. I’m such a prick. Christ.?”

“Nah… it’s cool. Everyone had to find out sometimes right?” Ray said placing a soothing hand on Gavin’s shoulder.

The room’s overbearing silence was only broken when Geoff came running in and screaming. “SO WHO’S READY FOR SOME TEQUILA?” Geoff took a few drunken looks around the room, “Who the hell took a shit on this party.”

“Ray’s gay.” Lindsay said.

“He came out?!?! Finally this party had a reason. Congrates Ray! I hope you adopt a lot of cute British babies!” Winking at Gavin, who smiled sheepishly.

“I’m thinking along the lines of Puerto Rican” Ray said winking at Gavin.

“Now why the fuck is everyone acting like dick-holes?” Geoff asked.

“Just Shocked, I hope” Ray shrugged looking towards his long time friends.

“No shit we’re shocked.” Michael said marching over towards Ray. Ray felt his body involuntarily tense and Gavin took a protective step towards him. “Sit your British ass down before I unleash fucking Mogar on it.” Michael said. He turned towards Ray and looked him dead in the eyes. “I knew you couldn’t keep your eyes off me.” Michael’s face erupted into a smile and the tension in the room evaporated.  

“I’m sorry but it is just too tight” Ray said trying to catch a view of Michaels rear.

“It’s going to stay that way too!” Lindsay called from across the room.

   The party continued into the night and after slipping through a jungle of Iknewit’s and Congratulations, Gavin and Ray finally made it outside. In private, Ray felt a burst of confidence, and leaned over to kiss his boyfriend. He only stopped when he felt foreign wetness on his cheeks.

“Gavin are you okay?” Ray tried to search his boyfriend’s eyes for the answer.

“I didn’t know.” Gavin said trying to wipe away the evidence. “It just felt so obvious. I thought everyone would know”

“Gavin. I’ve always known I was gay but I never really liked another guys before. So I really never had a reason to tell them.… do you get that.”

“I think so.” Gavin said with a smile so gentle that Ray couldn’t help but press his lips on it. When the two released, “I didn’t know you were such a kissaholic, love”

“Only when I’m around you.”

End. 

Super secret Christmas special <3

 “I cannot believe we are doing this over Skype” Ray said smiling at the red and green box in front of him.” Ray said with a hint of sadness. 

“Don’t worry about it I will be back in times for new years!” Gavin said without looking up from the present.

“You really want to open them that badly?”

“Please, Love. I know it isn’t Christmas but it has been sitting on my table for two days now. Just got to open it. And I wanna see you open yours.”

Ray laughed. It was at these times Ray loved his boyfriend the most. “Well I don’t know if we can do that over Skype” Ray teased.

“Bugger off. Now on the count of GOOOOO!” Gavin screamed as he ripped the paper off the box. And then in hastily delicacy, Gavin the box.

“Ray,” he sighed as he pulled the teapot out from the box. “Did you paint it yourself?” Gavin traced his fingers over the teapot. On the top was an orange bird holding a key. “When we first met.” Gavin muttered. Then the orange feather’s fluttered into snow. With a creeper and a tuxedo mask holding hands looking up at the bird. Gavin smiled. It was one of the most corniest, bestest gifts in the whole world.

“Look inside.” Ray said.

“There’s more!” Gavin said opening the lid. He pulled out a small pouch,

“It’s strawberry rose tea. Cause you know Roses rock” Ray nodded with satisfaction.

“Aww bugger” Gavin said looking down at the teapot. Ray must have put a lot of thought into this and Gavin’s was just a joke they had while they played minecraft with the gang.

“I’ll love it.” Ray said. Seemly reading Gavin’s mind. With much more slow hand he opened the parcel and what he took out was on of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. “Did you make this?”

“Kind of” Gavin shrugged. In Ray’s hand was a dried out rose but not just a rose. It was one that had been pulled together from several different species; each petal coming from a different variation of a rose and they melted together to create the most stunning thing Ray had ever seen.

“How did you-“  

“A lot of work” Gavin shrugged

“It’s perfect.” Ray smiled.

“Let me talk to him!” Michael screamed off-screen.

“fine, fine. Gavin The grind wants to say hi” Ray smirked as he twisted the screen  towards the rest of the crowd.

“And get the hell back home.” Geoff screamed.

“Bye Gav,”

“See you soon, love.”

Note from the author: