King// gawsten

eight

Awsten felt the world around him freeze, the air becoming cold and filled with anxiety. His mouth went dry, and he felt his fingers digging deeply into his own flesh. "You—you've talked to Geoff?" He wanted to jump to his feet, but Patty's hand stopped him. "Where the fuck is my boyfriend?"

Patty immediately hushed Awsten, giving his friend's knee a soft squeeze in a bad effort to calm the purple haired boy down. "Where exactly is Leo?"

The man's eyebrows knitted together, and he sighed as he stretched his legs out underneath the table. "Leo—uh well, he got word of what Leo was planning to do with you two—" He waved a hand between the pair and wrapped his fingers around the glass, bringing the rim to his lips and sipping on the burning liquor. "—and Leo was taken care of. But, luckily for you two, Leo trusted me with this plan—and I'm not stupid enough to get myself caught."

Awsten's mind was blurred with thoughts of his boyfriend's whereabouts and his own needs. He didn't want to wait any longer. If this man knew where his boyfriend was, why didn't he just tell them? The rational part of Awsten's brain was locked down and under construction, and the irrational portion of his brain was wide awake. "W—Who are you?" His voice wavered as he choked on his words, puffing his cheeks and letting his emotions slip back into his body. "What's your name?"

"I've been waiting for you to ask, Awsten." The man gave the boy a somewhat believably friendly smile, pushing the alcohol glass away as his nerves were already calmed. "I'm Travis, but that's all you really need to know. I'm one of Zech's top advisors if you would like to think of it that way, and I'm only doing this because Geoff's a good guy."

Awsten watched as Travis stood to his feet, stretching his arms out over his head as he spoke. "If you want to get Geoff back, you have to do things the way I tell you to. I know how Zech works and you don't. You've got to trust me here."

"O—" Awsten was willing to trust anyone at this point. He knew him and Patty alone weren't enough to find Geoff. Awsten knew they needed any help they could get.

"How do we know to trust you?" Patty's voice rose defiantly up and engulfed Awsten's, his hands gripping themselves beneath the table. "We have no earthly reason to trust you."

Travis shrugged, gripping his glass in between his fingers and bringing the rim to his lips. "I'm the only option you've got at this point. You really want to take on a drug lord by yourself? Be my fucking guest, but I'm trying to do you both a favor."

The sound of a car door slamming echoed outside, followed by loud and seemingly drunken voices. Patty and Awsten exchanged a worried glance before staring ahead at Travis, who was casually sipping the last of his alcoholic beverage with eyebrows raised. "What do you say?"

Awsten's eyebrows knitted together and before Patty could open his mouth to speak, Awsten had already decided. "We'll take your help."

Travis nodded and knocked his elbow near a bookshelf, which opened and revealed a small closet like area. "Get inside and don't come out until I tell you to." The pair did as they were told, taking a seat on the concrete floor and watching the bookshelf swing to a close.

Darkness filled their visions, and the only sounds that they heard were their own slightly panicked breathing. Awsten's fingers scrambled to find Patty's hand, clinging on dearly as the sound of the front door opening filled the air.

"Travis!" Awsten's blood boiled angrily as Zech's voice echoed throughout the air. "How's my favorite guy doing?" Emotions rushed into Awsten's brain, building up inside of his skull and causing a massive headache to throb dully inside of his temples. He pushed himself to his feet before suddenly feeling an arm pull him back to the floor. The younger boy landed with a thump directly into Patty's lap, with Patty's lips pressed against his ear.

"What the fuck are you thinking Aws?!" Patty whispered hastily in the younger boy's ear, his arm steadying the other boy and keeping him locked in place. "You're the one who wants to trust this Travis guy, so trust him and do as he says because I'd rather not get killed today." That's when he felt Awsten's body beginning to shake with sobs, and he immediately pulled the younger boy into his chest and muffled his sobs with his body. His fingers soothingly massaged into Awsten's back, trying to calm the purple-haired boy down.

Patty's chest swelled in pain and remembrance, but he swallowed down the pain and continued calming the boy down. Because it would probably be the worst time to bring up the past, wouldn't it?