𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬【𝐠𝐚𝐰𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧】

3

The pair entered the cabin and were greeted by a few sleepy friends. The lights were dim and the downstairs was nearly empty, except for a few people sleeping on cots in the living room.

Their friend, Otto, was one of the friends to greet them. He shot Awsten a warm smile. "You look tired. All the space upstairs is taken so I think you guys are going to have to sleep down here."

"Where's Aubrey?"

Geoff was barely paying attention; he was looking over everyone's shoulders trying to catch a glimpse of his girlfriend.

Tears suddenly welled up in Awsten's eyes like someone had flipped a switch inside him. Go fucking find her, Awsten thought, if you want her so bad. He swallowed the lump of hatred in his throat when he saw the blonde make her way towards them.

"I set my sleeping bag up down there, Geoff," she gestured to the purple one on the ground, "and you can put yours right next to it."

Awsten knew from the look on his face that Geoff wasn't focusing on what she was saying. He was probably focusing on her tits in that tight nightshirt she'd just put on, or her ass in those shorts. Until Geoff spoke.

"Where's Awsten sleeping?"

The younger felt that adrenaline course through him for a split second before dying down. Why did Geoff care?

"He can sleep on the couch right next to you guys," Otto suggested. "If you guys have everything figured out, we're gonna head to bed upstairs."

Awsten, Geoff, and Aubrey nodded. "Good night."

Now it was just the trio among a few sleeping bodies. A fan softly whirred, and it was already tempting Awsten to sleep with its lullaby.

Aubrey informed Geoff that she was going to go to sleep now, and that the spot next to her would be open, and that he could feel free to put his hand up her thigh any time he wanted. Okay, she didn't say that last part, but Awsten knew that Geoff had the open invitation. Because her thighs belonged to him now.

The younger boy grabbed his night bag and headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He couldn't stand any sweet talk. He was miserable enough as is.

Awsten doused his toothbrush in the blue paste and began brushing away every awful thing he'd thought of saying that day. Aubrey, I'd much prefer it if you slept in the woods. Geoff, what happened between us?

He brought his green-and-blue eyes up to the mirrored version of himself and was taken aback. Holy shit, he looked ill! His eyes were begging to release all the tears they'd stored that day, and his face was all puffy and his nose was all ruddy. He looked ill, and in a way, he was.

Awsten put on a hoodie and some flannel pants. Geoff had kissed him so deeply in this hoodie before, touched him in a way that only Geoff knew how. He snapped his thoughts away. He wasn't gay. Suddenly, somebody began thumping their fist against the wooden door- thump, thump, thump.

"It's me, Aws," Geoff called softly from the other end. "Can I just brush my teeth in there?"

Against his better judgement, Awsten opened the door. "Hi, Geoff."

"There are a lot of bugs in this place, huh?" Geoff laughed while wetting his toothbrush.

The younger smiled. "Yeah. I'm probably gonna wake up as one tomorrow with all the bites I'm getting."

The two joked for a little while until Geoff inevitably addressed the elephant in the room.

"Are you okay, Aws?"

Awsten's face fell. Geoff was looking at him with his big, pleading blue eyes, as if he didn't know it was all his fucking fault.

"I'm fine."

Awsten pushed past Geoff and turned out the door, into the darkness of the living room.