Best + Bitter = Better

Twenty Four days after

Geoff is laying on his bed, his feet high up on the wall next to it, when Lucy bursts in. The loud bang of the door slamming against the wall makes him jump. He drops the pen he was using to fill out an application to work at the Starbucks a few minutes away.

"Hi, Geoff!" She practically squeals, rolling her hot-pink suitcase behind her. She goes to hug him, but he puts a hand on her stomach to stop her and pushes her away.

He rolls off the bed and stands up, "Hi." He forces out and sits back down on his bed; normally this time. Lucy goes to grab his application, but he snatches it back just in time.

He sighs and quickly signs the bottom of the paper. He throws on his jean jacket and makes his way to Starbucks, checking the time on his phone so he won't be late for a lecture at noon.

Geoff is on the way back from the supermarket that's about half and hour away with a suitcase full of food. His truck has been playing up recently, so decided he needed a walk anyway. He gets a call from an unknown number.

"Hello?" He asks, stopping at the side of the path because he wouldn't be able to hear over the rough rolling of the suitcase wheels.

"Hello. Is this Mr. Wigington?" A male voice replies.

"Um, yeah." Geoff looks around him to see an empty street and is glad because he always feels self conscious when on the phone.

"Good! I'm Glen. You applied for a position at Starbucks earlier today?" The man's voice is awfully cheery to be working at a coffee shop... Oh wait caffeine.

"Yeah, yeah I did." Geoff replies, switching hands on his phone because his hands are sweaty.

"Well, your application has been accepted. You start tomorrow. You will have training for the first two days of your time here. Welcome to the Starbucks team." He can hear the man smiling; the lips pulling apart makes him recoil from the phone before he puts it back to his ear.

He plasters on a smile and hopes it come through in his tone. "Wow. I'm really glad about that, actually, I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. What time?"

"Well..." He can hear pages flipping and assumes it's a calendar of sorts. "Does midday work for you?"

Geoff doesn't have to check to know it does. "Yeah, that's great. Thanks, Glen. See you then!"

The line disconnects and Geoff pumps his fist. He checks again and there is still no one on the street. Thank God.

It's dark when Geoff gets back to his dorm and all he wants is a warm shower and to go to sleep. He opens the door, then shuts it immediately. The sight of Lucy fucking some guy ingrained in his head forever. He swiftly walks away. He racks his brain for anywhere to go and the first thing that comes to mind is Awsten.

Before he knows it, his feet have taken him to Awsten's dorm and knocked on his door. Awsten opens it wearing sweatpants and a plain, dark blue jumper. Awsten frowns at Geoff - asking him what he's doing here, without talking.

Geoff coughs awkwardly. "Um. Lucy is having sex and I didn't know where else to go." 'Short and to the point, Geoff,' he says to himself. 'Well done.' He offers a smile and Awsten opens the door. They both take a few steps in and Awsten sits on the edge of his bed.

"Why can't you go to Jawn's?" Awsten asks. Geoff is hurt that Awsten is so willing to get him to leave.

Geoff thinks for a moment, why didn't he go to Jawn's? "I... I don't know. I'm just tired, not thinking. If I'm being a bother, I can leave." Geoff explains and jabs his thumb to the door, taking a step backwards towards the door.

"No!" Awsten exclaims, leaping up to grab Geoff's arm. "I mean - don't go, you're not a bother at all." Awsten smiles warmly.

Geoff smiles sheepishly, "Is there any chance, I could stay the night? I just— It's just that—" Geoff sighs. "I'm just really tired."

Awsten smiles, climbing into bed and lifts the duvet up. He beckons Geoff over, so he climbs in too.

Awsten grabs his laptop that was on the floor. "I'm just finishing this term paper, you can go to sleep." Geoff doesn't have to think twice before he's already asleep.

-

Geoff wakes due to movement in his bed. Movement in his bed. He shoots up and realises it's Awsten and he's in Awsten's bed. He puts a hand on Awsten's shoulder and shakes it gently. The boy gets slightly more aggressive with his flips and kicks.

"Hey, Love, wake up. It's okay, Darling." He says. Awsten's eyes snap open and fall on Geoff's frame. Geoff smiles, "Hey." He whispers.

"Hey." Awsten echoes. "Sorry. Nightmare." Awsten looks around bashfully.

Geoff pulls him to his chest, smiling at the feeling of warmth inside of him. "You okay now? Wanna talk about it?"

"I'm okay." Awsten mumbles. "I was just running away from this guy 'cause somehow I knew he was going to hurt me."

Geoff gives him a look of sympathy, "Well, you're safe whenever I'm around."

Awsten only hums in response, thinking to himself. "Do you think I should break up with Mark?"

Geoff is taken aback and chokes on his own saliva. He sits up coughing. "Um, it's not really my place to have a say in your relationship, is it?" He looks back at Awsten, who is still lying down. "Where is he anyway? Surely he'd freak out if he knew I was here."

"Um... We had a fight. He left." Geoff frowns, lying back down.

"A fight? What about?" Geoff asks, cupping Awsten's cheek because he looks like he's about to cry.

Awsten averts his gaze, "Um, he uh... He saw these photos of us on my phone; they were from Jawn. I never knew he looked through my phone." Awsten explains and bursts into tears, burying his face into Geoff's shirt.

"Oh, baby, it's okay." Geoff wraps his arms tightly around Awsten's small body.

"Jawn said I should break up with him and now I don't know because what if I do break up with him and he hits me again! And, and, and—" Awsten cries.

Geoff freezes. He hit Awsten. He hit his baby. He's going to die. "Baby, listen to me. You have got to calm down and explain to me what you mean by 'he might hit me again'." He says softly, squeezing Awsten tightly to himself.

It takes a little while before Awsten is calm enough to explain. "Well, y'know when you stayed the night before and, and he started shouting. And then after you left, he started up again and shouted and screamed and I was— I was crying and he slapped me to shut me up." He started crying again softly, clutching onto Geoff again.

"Okay, honey, thanks for telling me. That was very brave." Geoff put on his baby voice because he didn't know how else to handle it right now. "Y'know that what he did is classified as abuse? And that that makes it an abusive relationship?" He looks down at Awsten.

Awsten looks up at Geoff with huge, watery eyes. "But he loves me. I know he does. He told me." Awsten insists.

"Darling. I would never lay a finger on you." He soothes, and kisses Awsten's forehead. Awsten cuddles up closer to him, Geoff squeezes him gently.

Hey guys. It's been a while. I'm genuinely sorry that I haven't posted in forever. Seriously, I'm so thankful for you guys and you guys got this story to #995 on WattPride. The days just slipped away and I haven't posted. I'm really sorry and I hope this fluff makes up for it :)