Jeremy and Gavin not willing to actually properly date. They fuck once, and they both love it, but Gavin. Can't. Admit it. There's not something where he's worried people will see him differently, he couldn't give two shits about other people's opinions. It's more about who he's presented himself as. He's afraid of being a liar. He's denied it so many times, tried his hardest to dress "like a straight person" and everyone's believed it at one point or another before they realize the truth. (1/?)
(2/?) And Gavin has lied to himself for so long, never let himself look at a hot guy across the room more than once, watching every single one of his own movements so that he doesnât convey an attraction to males. Itâs all subconscious until he meets Jeremy, his first real crush on a guy. And then he knows that heâs doing it. He knows heâs lying to everyone, including himself. And he hates liars, and cheaters, and hypocrites, and heâs all of them, and god does it hurt.
(3/?) So he leaves. In the morning, before Jeremy gets up, he grabs his clothes and leaves. He canât drive, so he walks home, taking the longest route he can. He pays for a prostitute, something heâs never done, never thought to do, but he needs to make sure. That he can still do it. He cries. The hooker comforts him because sheâs hurting too, and he apologizes. He pays her four times the price. And he leaves again. Leaves her to her fate. Heâs losing himself in his thoughts, in himself
(4/?) He passes his apartment. He needs to talk, he knows it, needs to scream and punch the wall and tear at his clothes, rip out of his skin, because his ADHD is acting up, heâs overstimulated by everything, he needs to move, and the hooker wasnât it. He finds himself knocking on Geoffâs door, and Geoff opens it, tired and hair mussed. A cute guy moves past Gavin, and Geoff waves with a small smile, giving him cash. As a tip, he says. And Gavin pushes Geoff to the floor, heâs angry, furious.
(5/?) Geoff is shocked at the look Gavin is giving him, his eyes full of a rage to rival Ryanâs, one heâs never seen in all his years of knowing the young hacker. And Gavinâs fists are clenched and he starts yelling horrible, horrible things at Geoff, insulting him, bringing up things they both swore to never bring up, the memories associated too painful for Geoff, and Geoff turns red. He stands, growing in his anger. Gavin may scare Geoff at that moment, but Gavin is afraid of Geoff more.
(6/?) As soon as Geoff opens his mouth Gavin is sobbing, holding his stomach, and he canât, he canât do it, heâs going to rip himself apart. Geoff opens his arms, and Gavin falls into them, and Geoff holds him tight, and Gavin is sobbing into his chest, and Geoff doesnât say anything, doesnât want to, doesnât need to, he knows that Gavin is in pain, thatâs enough to hold him tight, and Gavin feels like heâs breaking apart and Geoff is keeping him together, the only thing keeping him together.
(7/?) Geoff is whispering softly, lowly, soothing things, petting his light blonde hair and tracing shapes in his back. He freezes when thereâs a pair of lips on his chest. And then another. Moving up. He looks down and Gavin is kissing up his neck, tears still flowing freely, and Geoffâs heart breaks, he canât do this, canât make Gavin admit who he is, and Gavin works up to his chin, and he looks up at Geoff with watery eyes, a parted mouth, and an expression that Geoff canât quite describe.
(8/?) Itâs an expression of pain. Not physical. A pain of lacking. Of lacking something heâs never experienced, never known, but he wants to know it, he needs to know it, it hurts so bad not knowing what it is he wants, and what it feels like. Geoffâs mind clicks as Gavinâs hands twitch of their own hyper volition, grasping and trying to pull, pull Geoffâs warmth closer, pull something closer, anything. Geoff needs to help, he owes Gavin that much, and heâs taking Gavinâs chin and kissing gently
(9/?) Gavin gasps, and his hands scramble for a second in practiced denial of homosexuality, but Geoff stays, gentle, against him. Every move is gently as Geoff sweeps Gavin to his room, laying him down and moving slowly, so slowly over him, prepping him, Gavin gasping, and moving inside him with the gentle nature of handling an egg. An hour after Gavin knocked on Geoffâs door, they lay there, Geoff spooning Gavin and gently kissing the ridge of his ear, his arms wrapped around the tan waist.
(10/?) Gavin isnât crying, heâs out of tears to cry, heâs lying there, feeling Geoffâs warmth, his care, and itâs what he was lacking, what he needed. A gentle hand, gentle motions, a gentle push to calm him, to silence his mind, to care. Really, truly care. About his wellbeing. And Geoff doesnât want to date Gavin, thatâs the farthest thing from his mind. He wants to care. Make his friends happy. No matter the steps needed to get there. He can feel Gavinâs hands on his waist after theyâre gone.
(11/11) The ones that grabbed him when there was nothing else to grab. He was helping. The touch was enough to draw that from. And he can feel Gavin draw a breath to speak, and he holds his. Gavin closes his eyes. And he says it. For the first time in his life, he says it. And he cries again, tears of happiness, and Geoff smiles and stops his kisses, turns Gavin around and hugs him, so tight, and Gavin hugs back, whispering quiet thank youâs, and heâs happy, heâs truthful, heâs fine. -thebumhaus