Gavin pulled up his hood as the dark sky clouded, beginning on his way back home. He took slow steps, despite the threat of rain. His place wasn't far, so it wasn't too bad if he got caught in the rain. He pulled his plastic bag closer.
Gavin, not long ago, had decided that he was going to have a small snack before heading off to bed. And then he remembered that Geoff had broken the toaster. So, determined on having his snack, he headed to the store to buy a new one. Not a good idea on his part, but it didn't matter to him. Gavin heard thunder rumble overheard and looked down at his long legs. He began to walk slightly faster, changing his opinion on getting caught in the rain. What if something happened to the toaster?
"Man, I wish I brought my phone with me..." The Brit let out a soft sigh, eyeing the growing darkness in front of him. He heard thunder once again and began to grow uneasy. And then it happened.
Slam!
Gavin paused in his tracks, listening. What did he hear? Was it a car? A cat? A murderer?!
'Calm down, Gav. I'm sure it's just a cat. You're fine.' Gavin continued his walking, stopping once again when he heard laughing. 'Oh, no...' Gavin looked around. There was an alleyway across the street between a thrift store and a frozen yogurt place. He peered down the passageway, flinching. He watched as someone was thrown against a wall. The stranger stood, throwing a weak punch before falling back to his knees and slumping back. The others laughed and turned to leave.
Gavin gulped, eyes wide. He glanced down the street before hurrying across, keeping his bag close. What were these people doing out this late? Why were they beating the poor lad up? He peeked into the tunnel, watching as maybe three men left through the other entrance. He sighed in relief before stepping inside. He looked around slightly, gently placing a hand against the stone wall as he stepped closer to the boy on the floor. A nearby street lamp gave him enough light to examine the man's basic features.
He looked to be maybe twenty, sporting a dark gray hoodie with some sort of logo. He wore blue jeans with the occasional rip and the ever-so-popular converse. But a red pair. His face was littered with bruises and cuts. A nearby dark green beanie laid on the cold ground and Gavin bent over to pick it up. He turned to him. "Hey-"
"Who are you?!" The man now held a pocket knife, waving it in the air. Gavin squeaked, pulling the hat close to his face. It smelled faintly of alcohol. Ah, so that opened some doors. "Hey?!"
"Um..." Gavin bounced slightly, uneasy. He glanced to the side before looking back at the male. "I'm Gavin. Nice to meet you." The man gave him a look of slight confusion before grumbling. He dropped the knife, allowing him to step forward. Gav gently slipped the beanie onto the man's dark curls, looking to be a dark red. He noticed the freckles on his face. "What's your name?"
The male was silent for a moment, staring at the ground before muttering a response. "What did you say? Micool?" He looked up at him, rolling his eyes slightly.
"It's Michael, idiot. What's with your funny accent? It's nice." Gav couldn't help but blush. He got a lot of compliments, but they still fazed him.
"Thank you, I suppose. So, can you stand?" Gavin picked up the knife and offered a hand to Michael, along with a nervous smile. He hesitated before taking it and pulling himself up, wobbling a bit. Michael fell and Gavin immediately grabbed his arm, pulling him back up before attempting to just carry him. He whined, moving so he was pressed against the wall.
"No! I'm not some sorta victim. I can walk." Gavin rolled his eyes.
"Alright. Stubborn..." He instead wrapped an arm around him, helping the male walk, which he seemed fine with. Gavin dropped the closed knife into his bag before they began on their way. "I'll take you to my place. I'm sure my roommate won't mind. You can stay there for the night, alright? I'll take care of you." Michael just nodded, looking forward lazily. Gavin huffed, watching him as they stumbled to Gavin's home. He unlocked the door and opened it. Michael stood there for a second before waddling inside.
Gavin sat him down in the living room, putting his toaster down in the kitchen. "Do you want some water?" He quickly made his way into the bathroom before coming back out to find Michael nodding. He quickly got the male a drink, watching him gulp it down quickly before smiling and sitting next to him.
"I'm going to fix up these cuts, okay?" Michael nodded, silent as ever. 'Maybe that's just how he is. Or maybe it's because he's drunk?' Gavin internally shrugged before rubbing some cream onto the small cuts, humming softly. Michael kept his gaze to the side, occasionally delivering small glances to him. He seemed thankful.
"Hey, I-"
"Boop!" Gavin smiled and chuckled as he placed a band-aid on his nose, holding a cyan color and quite a few ducklings. Michael blinked before smiling slightly and flicking Gavin in the forehead.
"Listen. Thanks."
"No problem. I'll get you a blanket and you can sleep on the couch." Michael got comfortable, slipping off his shoes and collecting his nightly necessities. "Need anything else?" He shook his head. "I'll leave some painkillers for you in the morning, just in case."
"Thanks...?"
"Gavin. Gavin Free."
"Right. Michael Jones."
"I know." Gavin smiled. "Goodnight, Micool."
"Goodnight, dumbass." Gavin went to his room, getting ready for bed and laying down, smiling. He stared at the ceiling. He'd probably get in trouble with Geoff for bringing a total stranger in the house. Gavin just shrugged, deciding to go to sleep. He was tired, after all.
He guessed the toast could wait.
