To the Highest Bidder Go the Spoils

Chapter 10

Zeke made sure the door was locked before he went up to bed. He was still in shock after the revelation at dinner.

When Katie had said she had seen Gavin leaving campus with Emily, he had thought the worst. Was he so unhappy with him that he had to date someone behind his back? Did it have to be his best friend's girlfriend at that?

He had been so angry he had almost thrown everyone out of the house. His vision had tunneled and he had been ready to say fuck it to the entire contract he had with Raoul Duquesne.

Then Gavin had gotten sick in the flower pot, and Emily had told him he needed to tell them. His anger had lapsed a bit, but he still wanted to know what was going on. What was so bad that he couldn't tell him? What was he hiding that he wanted to keep secret from him?

He hadn't been expecting a cancer diagnosis. He had noticed that Anderson Reed had taken several days to update his online chart, but he knew his friend was a basketcase. Sometimes it took him two weeks to get back to him on a doctor's appointment so he hadn't thought anything of it. But now it made sense.

Emily had explained why Gavin had asked her to go with him. He hadn't wanted to burden anyone, but he had also wanted to get the results for himself and be able to deal with them in his own way. He hadn't wanted anyone forcing him to do something he wasn't sure about, but he hadn't wanted to freak anyone out either.

She told him when the diagnosis had come in. Zeke had realized it was right around the time Gavin had withdrawn into himself. He had just thought it was because of the schedule he had to keep in the last several weeks, but to find out it was because he was sick put things into a new perspective.

Gavin had already had two rounds of chemo, and he hadn't known about them. He had seen him naked and had even had sex with him since his first round, but he had not know what had been going on. Gavin had done a good job of hiding it from everyone except Emily.

Zeke retrieved a sports drink from the kitchen and went upstairs. He made a mental note to buy a mini fridge for the bedroom. He didn't think Gavin would want to walk downstairs after his next round of chemo so he would make it easier for him to stay hydrated while he battled this disease.

Gavin was on his side when he walked into the bedroom. He had a pillow wedged between his knees and was wrapped around another one. He looked tiny in the big king size bed, and Zeke knew just how shitty he felt. Even from across the room, he looked pale. His skin wasn't very dark to begin with, and now that he was sick it was even paler.

He changed clothes then walked to the other side of the bed. He cracked the seal on the bottle then set it on the bedside table. He ran his fingers gently over Gavin's face, brushing the little lines by his eyes and mouth. The thin lids lifted to reveal exhausted brown orbs.

"Can you sit up?" Zeke whispered. Gavin put the pillow in his arms behind him and sat up. Zeke slid in behind him to prop him up before he reached for the bottle. He pressed it into his hands and urged it towards his mouth. "Drink some of this. You don't need to get dehydrated."

Gavin did as he was asked. He sipped the blue liquid slowly. His back was bothering him, and he felt a bit of relief with Zeke at his back holding him up. He kept the pillow between his legs to keep his knees from hurting too much.

He handed the bottle back to Zeke and leaned against him. He pressed his face into the crook of his neck and sighed heavily. Zeke wrapped his arms around and held him tightly.

"When is your next appointment?" he asked.

"Not until next month. They'll do some blood work to see if the chemo is working, and we'll schedule some more rounds," Gavin replied. He shifted slightly until his back was flush against Zeke's chest. "I have the option to do the pill form, but I was afraid I'd miss a dose. I opted to do the intravenous route. It shocks the body, but I don't have to worry about forgetting or having to take it in the middle of class."