Best + Bitter = Better

Twenty Eight days after

Awsten, Geoff and Gracie are grocery shopping because who can think of a more mundane way to spend their time. They had been walking for a little and Geoff paused to look at chocolate while the other two carried on walking. Geoff retrieved a packet of Kit Kats and began to catch up. He noticed something red on the crotch of Gracie's stone washed jean. He blushes as he realises.

Ripping off his jumper, Geoff catches up to them. He wraps the sleeves around Gracie's waist, whispering "Period." Into her ear. Her face flushes and she subtly looks, seeing that he's right.

"Oh my God, this is so embarrassing." She whispers back. She's put her hand on her forehead and is whispering to herself about how much of an idiot she is to have forgotten.

Geoff laughs a little, wrapping his arm around her waist, too, to give her some security in believing no one will notice. He whispers back to her, "This happens to every girl, don't worry." She nervously giggles a little.

Awsten, who had watched this from an outside view, was livid. His best friend and his sister? No. That couldn't happen. Geoff is his. Gracie is his. His jealousy builds up and is the start of the 'Cold War of Walmart'.

Gracie and Awsten slept at Geoff's apartment with Jawn last night. It was unspokenly decided that that would be where she stayed during her time here. Geoff slept in Jawn's bed with Jawn, while the siblings slept in Geoff's bed. The siblings' refused to let Geoff sleep on the sofa and Geoff refused to make them, so it's a compromise.

"Hey Aws, what should we have for dinner tonight?" Geoff asks, trying to take the basket out of his hands. Awsten pulls it back and ignores him. "Aws? I was just trying to take it, so you didn't have to carry it. Wouldn't want to strain your cute little arms." Geoff cracks a childish grin, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, well, now you have more hands to touch my sister with." Awsten mutters bitterly, grinding his teeth. He walks away from the pair.

Geoff frowns, looking to Gracie who's wearing the same expression. Geoff checks that Gracie is okay with him letting go, she nods. He runs to catch up with Awsten. When he reaches him, he puts a hand on his shoulder and spins him around. "Hey, Lovely. I'm not hitting on your sister." He lowers his voice a little. "I'm gay."

Awsten rolls his eyes, "Yeah, sure seems like it." He laughs sarcastically. Moving away again.

Geoff pushes Awsten against a large, white pillar that is keeping the ceiling from falling. "Look." Geoff sighs. Placing his lips gently on Awsten's, moving them softly. He moves his hands to play with his hair slightly, then pulls his lips away. "See? I loved that. I like kissing boys. I'm gay." He smiles. Honestly, that was the best thing that Geoff had ever done and that includes the time that he pushed his sister into a freezing cold pool.

Much to Awsten's dismay, Geoff lets go and back away.

-

Later, Geoff is in the kitchen, cooking spaghetti bolognese for the five of them. Awsten wanders in and stands next to Geoff, near the hob.

"You kissed me earlier." Awsten states. He loved the kiss. It was soft. It was gentle. It was Geoff. It was so, wonderfully Geoff. Awsten notes how Geoff freezes for a little bit.

"I did." Geoff confirms, offering no passage for fluent conversation on the matter.

"Why?" Awsten asks. He wants to kiss Geoff again and the impulse is so strong that he has to move back from him.

Geoff pauses, deliberates and says, "To make sure you knew I am gay."

"Yeah, well, don't do it again." Awsten mutters in a really bitchy tone that he doesn't know how he made. He didn't actually mean for the words to come out of his mouth, it was the kind of thing where your brain goes 'wouldn't it be awful if I said this...' and then says it anyway. It was that and the second it left his lips, he regretted it. He notices Geoff's shoulders slump.

"Yeah... Okay. I'm sorry. It's just that you were upset and I didn't really know..." Geoff pauses and looks at Awsten. "Did Gracie tell you why I gave her my jumper?" He asks, stirring the spaghetti.

Awsten frowns as he recalls his memory. "No."

"Oh." Is all Geoff gives for a moment. "I'm not sure if she'd want me to tell you this, but she got her period and wasn't prepared." He tells him quietly.

Realisation hits Awsten like a bus. Geoff is the sweetest guy in the world and he is never going to kiss Awsten again. Fuck.

-

Throughout the evening, Geoff's mood had dropped considerably. He at least thought that Awsten would have liked the kiss, even if they weren't dating. And deep down, he thought that there was a chance of being with Awsten. He was wrong.

He's in bed when he thinks this over a little more. This means that he will never kiss Awsten again, never feel his angelic lips against his, never kiss him by surprise and make him giggle. The thought rocks him to his very core and he suddenly feels sick. He slides out of bed. Jawn is asleep and since it's two AM, everyone else should be.

He trudges quietly to the bathroom and sits down in front of the toilet. This is what his life has become. And suddenly he's crying and heaving and throwing up. It all happens so fast that he barely has time to try and keep it quiet. His friends liked his dinner, Gracie even went as far as to say that it was the best thing she'd ever eaten. Geoff's head is heavy and his throat is sore from the acid. Fuck.

"Woah." He hears the exclamation and then feels a hand on his shoulder. Geoff looks up, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

He goes to stand, but has trouble. Awsten helps him to his feet, flushing the toilet and leading him over to the sink. Geoff lazily washes his hands, a little delirious. Awsten hops onto the counter, wetting a flannel with cold water. He bunches it and dabs it on Geoff's face to cool him down because he's hot to the touch. Geoff can't do much, but stand there. Relishing in the moment in his half asleep state. Geoff's eyes close and he almost falls asleep right there. Awsten notices it.

Awsten hops off the counter, leading Geoff back to Jawn. Geoff lies down and Awsten perches next to him, keeping the flannel pressed delicately on his forehead.

"Good night, Geoff." Awsten whispers as he sees Geoff's breathing even out.