Gloom & sunshine

Chapter 10: Outrage

Fucked.

That's all Awsten felt right now.

Absolutely fucked.

First of all, why was Geoff being so fucking stubborn? Second of all, what the hell had happened in the van? He had never seen Geoff act like that. He had never heard Geoff be so... authoritative with him. Usually, Geoff was calm and collected, and would let Awsten burn off whatever adrenaline high had hit him. But, tonight, Geoff had called him a child! He certainly was not a child, he was 26 years old, dammit.

Awsten sat in the booth squished between Geoff and Otto, his arms crossed over his chest, sinking back into the plush fabric of the seat. Pouting.

Like a child.

Geoff glanced at him before returning to his conversation with Zack. Awsten was people watching, but the people he was watching were the ones in front of him. He wondered what crawled up Alex's ass; the singer was pouting as well, occasionally reaching out to tug on Jack's shirt, the taller guitarist only waving his hand carelessly in response. At least Geoff was giving him a little more attention than Jack was giving Alex.

He let a huffy sigh, Geoff turning to look at him, the expression a little hard.

"Yes, Awsten? Do you need something?"

"What? No? I'm just people watching."

"You've sighed loudly at least four times in the last thirty seconds. Are we boring you?" Geoff was using that tone with him again, he shrunk down in his seat and shook his head. Geoff studied him for a moment before catching the bartenders eyes and holding up two fingers to order another round. He looked back at Awsten, but instead of saying anything, he just returned his attention to Zack, who looked like he was trying not to bust a gut from holding in laughter.

Otto grinned and caught Rian's eye, who was keeping a close watch on Alex and Jack. Alex was about three tequila shots in, and had started on the rosé wine. Otto sipped lightly at his beer, it was his first, it was getting warm, but he had no intention of getting drunk. Neither, apparently, did Zack and Rian, who were both nursing their first beers.

As the night went on, the total number of drinks Geoff and Jack partook in was much higher than the number Rian, Zack, and Otto had combined. at one point, when Zack had made the group shift seats so he could use the restroom, Jack and Geoff ended up sitting next to each other. as they got drunker, Awsten noticed, the whinier Alex became.

Jack had his arm slung around Geoff's shoulders, they had their heads ducked together while they talked in the loud bar. Alex scooted as close as possible to Jack, tugging feverishly on his jacket.

"J... J-ack--- I wanna go back t'tha hotel--"

"Alex, drink some water, and talk to Zack or Rian." Jack snapped, earning a hurt puppy look from the singer.

The scene stirred a feeling of guilt in Awsten, and he suddenly wanted Geoff to take him back to their room. He reached out for the first time, and, much like Alex, tugged on Geoff's denim jacket. Those blue eyes, fuzzy with liquid bad decisions, turned on him, and he swallowed, suddenly really wishing he was drinking too.

"What?" Geoff asked, a bite in his voice. Awsten's strange feeling bloomed in his chest and he ducked his head just a bit.

"Can we go home now? I'm tired..."

"Have Otto take you, or you can call the van yourself, you're a big boy." Geoff said, returning his attention to Jack.

"Why are you being such a prick to me?!" Awsten suddenly snapped, his spiky personality breaking through the strange blanketed feeling he had been feeling all night.