Pathways // Gawsten [Book 2]

24 - We Messed Up

After deciding to put Lucky People on the album, they agreed to make it a permanent fixture on the setlist. Otto also loved the song, and agreed it would be a perfect song to have on the album and it was their own little way of telling their fans their feelings without actually having to.

Lucky People was moved to it was the third to final song, and on that night Awsten and Geoff had something special planned for Otto. Grace had told them that the internet was going crazy with appreciation for Otto as more and more about the situation came to light, and a hashtag '#ottowood4president' had been started, eliciting a laugh from everyone on the bus. 

They'd seen on twitter that the fans attending the show that night were all bringing hearts to hold up and appreciation banners for Otto, and Awsten and Geoff wanted to do the same. They decided to get a big flag, and write on it "OTTO WOOD 4 PRESIDENT" so they'd match the fans and make the cause even better.

It had been a struggle hiding it from Otto, as Otto was always about just moving and chatting. They'd asked Jawn to buy the flag and sneak it into their bunk when Otto wasn't looking, and asked Grace to keep him distracted. Getting the flag to the venue was an even harder task, as they usually didn't take anything with them into the venue.

Awsten had asked Jawn to keep it in his backpack until they needed it on stage, and they'd been good at hiding it all day.

After Lucky People was over, Awsten smirked at Geoff and nodded for him to get the flag while Otto climbed back onto his drum kit. Awsten motioned for the fans to put their hearts up as Geoff returned with the flag.

The fans screamed as Geoff and Awsten held the flag up, and Geoff craned his neck to see Otto sat at his drum kit in disbelief. A smile was growing on his face at what the crowd was doing, and Geoff motioned for him to come and stand at the front of the stage with him and Awsten. 

Otto slowly walked to the front of the stage and was pulled into a hug by Geoff, getting a louder reaction from the crowd. In that moment, he felt so happy and so thankful he had these guys by his side. It was then that he realised every sacrifice he made over the past year was totally worth it. 

-

As soon as they got off stage, Otto checked his phone and quickly ran out the exit to the bus. He said nothing as he sprinted away from his friends, leaving them wondering what was wrong.

"What was that about?" Awsten asked, confused. He and Geoff continued walking through the hallway, passing their guitars to the techs as they went,

"I'm sure it's just Grace getting sick again. It's completely fine." Geoff shrugged, missing the worried look on Awsten's face. 

"Grace is sick?" Awsten asked, and Geoff shook his head and looked confused,

"No, she's pregnant," Geoff said and continued walking, oblivious to what he'd just done.

Awsten froze where he was stood and gaped, staring blankly at his boyfriend. It took Geoff a few seconds to realise Awsten wasn't behind him.

"You didn't know she was pregnant..." Geoff realised and Awsten shook his head. 

Just then, Otto came back into the venue and smiled when he saw Awsten and Geoff, also oblivious to what had just happened. 

"After they've put the equipment away they're gonna go out to eat, you coming?" Otto asked and Geoff nodded.

Geoff looked at Awsten who just shook his head, saying he didn't feel well. Geoff smiled and kissed Awsten's cheek before leaving with Otto out the stage exit. Awsten waited for them to be out of sight before he began running to the bus. He burst through the door and found Grace sitting on the kitchen counter.

"Are you fucking kidding?" Awsten breathed out heavily, and Grace looked like a deer caught in the headlights,

"What are you on about?" She chuckled nervously,

"You're pregnant?" Awsten yelled. Grace's heart dropped as she saw the look on Awsten's face. She jumped down from the kitchen counter and walked towards Awsten, but he put his hand out to stop her before she could get too close.

"I was going to tell you..." She started, but Awsten scoffed,

"When? Because everyone else knows," He gnarled, and Grace flinched. Awsten sighed, "I'm sorry, it's just a massive shock." 

Awsten closed the bus door and sat down on the sofa with his head in his hands. He heard Grace traipse over to him slowly and felt the couch dip as she sat down,

"Who told you?" She asked quietly,

"Geoff... He thought I already knew," Awsten chuckled bitterly, clenching his eyes shut.

The two sat in silence as Awsten willed himself to calm down. Grace couldn't believe he'd found out, and she couldn't imagine how he felt.

"Is it mine?" Awsten asked after a few minutes, and Grace felt her heart drop even further.

"I don't know," She said as tears spread to her eyes. She couldn't help but feel stupid, and unclean.

Tears began to prickle Awsten's eyes too and his breathing got heavier. He stood up and began pacing, Grace's eyes follow him.

"And if it is mine?" He muttered to her. There were a million thoughts going through his head, pushing the tears to dance down his cheeks.

"And nothing," Grace said, and Awsten stopped pacing, staring right at her, "Me and Otto are together. Otto doesn't know about us, and it would break him if he knew it wasn't his.." 

"So you're going to deny me my child?" Awsten scowled,

"I don't know what to do, Awsten!" Grace yelled, as she finally snapped, "Stop making me a villain! I'm fucking petrified and I don't know what to do!" 

And the dam broke. Tears began racing down her face as the reality of what was happening hit her. Awsten immediately felt no anger, and walked over to her, pulling her into a hug. She began to cry into his shoulder, grasping onto him.

"I don't know what to do either." He admitted, "But it'll be okay... We'll figure it out."

If they were going to figure it out, it was going to have to be soon. Pregnancies have a time limit, and secrets don't hide forever. The truth is revealed eventually. 

[A/N - Hi! I don't usually do these as I think it disrupts the pattern of the book, but I wanted to tell you that at this moment in time, there will be a third book! I can't tell you much about it, but it's kind of a "lets really finish this series with no queries" type book. It won't be up until this book is finished - which is a while yet - but I wanted to let you all know :) ]