Geoff gave Awsten a reassuring look. He wasn't being pathetic, he knew it, he could tell by the way that Geoff was looking him and confirming that it was okay.
He was extremely alert as his eyes trailed the rag in Geoff's hand, looking into his eyes with a pleading glare.
"I have to, or it will get infected, and then you will end up having to explain to medical professionals how you got hurt in the first place." He was right, this was the most pleasant possibility in this situation.
Geoff moved from crouching on the floor onto his bed next to the trembling boy. He used his free hand to take Awsten's, giving him something to grip.
"Three, two..."
Awsten nearly screamed as the rag came into contact with the large cut on his side. He was gripping Geoff's hand so tightly that he felt like his own was going to break and he immediately shoved his face into Geoff's shoulder to muffle the quick sobs that were escaping from his lips.
He'd only ever had to use antiseptic to clean small wounds, each time they had stopped stinging as soon as they started. Not this time. It kept stinging as the liquid explored every area of the cut, Awsten grinding his teeth in pain and breathing rapidly.
Geoff took the rag back off of the cut again, the air mixing with the drying out blood caused a secondary wave of pain. When he pulled his face away from Geoff's shirt he could see that the cut was frothing but surprisingly, it was beginning to hurt less.
"You're doing good, okay?" Awsten nodded, he was in too much shock to get any words out. His breathing was slowing down and his grip on Geoff's hand had loosened significantly. "We have to do that again."
He had nearly forgotten that he had other gashes embedded in his skin. He took a moment to breathe as he watched Geoff open the bottle of antiseptic and prepare the rag again.
"Three, two..."
He thrashed around for a moment, bringing the back of his hand up to his mouth to stifle any noise after he let a small whimper escape. He could feel the tears coming down heavily and the grip of his hand return to how it was the first time.
They were the two biggest openings in his skin, the others weren't so severe. Geoff only cleaned half of the other cuts that were left, the minor ones had already been cleaned with water and he didn't want to put Awsten through any unnecessary pain.
Awsten was concentrating on keeping control of his breathing as he watched the older bunch together the rags that were coated in blood. "I'll be right back." He watched as Geoff left the bedroom with all of the things he entered with the first time.
He began to shiver from his skin being exposed to the air. That's when he realised, Geoff had seen his arms. He'd also seen his stomach which was extremely thin, his ribs could be seen poking through, Geoff had probably lost any respect that he had for Awsten.
His blood-soaked hoodie was laying sloppily on the floor. It was just out of Awsten's reach and he trembled as he shuffled towards it, managing to grab it and trying to pull it over his head. He didn't give a fuck that it was caked in blood, he needed it; partially because it was cold, but mostly because he didn't want Geoff to see his unattractive body again.
"No, don't put that back on." Geoff had entered the room again and tugged the hoodie away from Awsten's grip, who was now cradling himself in an attempt to cover up as much of his body as he could. Geoff opened one of the drawers of his wardrobe and took out one of his own sweaters, taking it back to Awsten and helping him pull it on.
He couldn't make eye contact with Geoff; he was so embarrassed and insecure that he wasn't even comfortable here anymore. The sweater was much too big on him but it smelled like Geoff and it calmed him down as he sat under the bundle of material.
"You should get some sleep."
"So should you." Awsten's voice was small and croaky from exhaustion. "I already slept, anyway."
"I don't care, you need it. Look at you, you're a mess."
"Thanks."
He moved the sheets and draped them over the fragile blonde. Geoff had a glass of water already sat on the bedside table for him and he began to feel tired as he curled into the blankets that had just been placed on top of him. "I'll take the floor."
"What?" Awsten didn't understand why Geoff didn't just get in the same bed as him, it was plenty big enough.
Maybe Geoff knew that Awsten was gay and didn't want to share the bed.
"No, I-" he didn't really know what to say. "If one of us is staying on the floor, then it will be me."
"I'm not going to let you sleep on my floor. It's fine, really, Aws."
"Either it's me on the floor, or you get in this damn bed with me."
He knew that if he let Geoff sleep on the floor of the bedroom then he wouldn't be able to get to sleep due to guilt, he didn't want to be an inconvenience and Geoff had already done enough for him.
He was waiting for Geoff to help him onto the floor, but instead, Awsten heard him sigh and felt him get into the bed next to him, flicking off the light on the table next to the bed.
He smiled to himself, he was facing the wall with his back to Geoff so he wouldn't be able to tell that he was smiling, even though it was pitch-black in the room.
He was super aware of the presence in the bed with him, being extra cautious not to move in case he disturbed the older boy.
Once his anxiety calmed down and his muscles began to relax, he felt himself shuffle slightly to get into a more comfortable position, unintentionally moving close to Geoff in the process.
He felt a light weight of an arm drape across his hip and wrap around his small waist.
SoftSoftSoft.
YOU ARE READING
Serendipitous (Gawsten)
Fanfiction[COMPLETED] An apathetic boy with colourblindness and too many problems serendipitously meets a boy who may be able to help him feel all of the colours he'd never seen.
