Love Notes In The Kitchen (Gawsten One-Shots)

Of Insects And Clouds

Description: Geoff and Awsten used to be inseparable, but Geoff cut Awsten off. Geoff is avoiding the purple-haired boy like the plague, and Awsten is too caught up in his head to properly go after the brunet- that means it's up to Jawn, Otto, and Travis to figure everything out.

Here's some context you should probably know before you read this: Geoff and Awsten are in separate bands. Travis, Otto, and Awsten are in a band called Not Warriors, and Jawn and Geoff are in a band called RARE. I invision RARE to be like IDKHOW and Not Warriors like Waterparks.

4436 words.

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"So- and of course you don't have to answer this if you don't want to- what happened between you and Geoff?"

The question is simple, but it sends a million ants crawling through Awsten's skin. A pit forms in his tummy, but it's small enough that he knows he can finally talk about it. He thinks so, anyway.

Previous interviewers have had no luck in getting an answer to the question, as Awsten is always quick to change the subject. The mere mention of the brunet's name is enough to bring a dull ache to his chest. If he talks about it, the ache will snowball into a small hole, allowing inky black confusion to leak out. The hole only gets bigger until he changes the subject. It feels like bugs are ripping away at the edges of the hole, allowing more confusion and heartbreak to be exposed from where they had previously been so carefully covered.

He's careful to never let tears form, but the larger the hole gets, the more tears will threaten to wage war on his cheeks.

Awsten has never spoken about it. He's let everyone assume things. He's let Otto or Travis answer the questions, and let Geoff and Jawn deal with it however they like. As far as he's heard, Geoff is just as silent about it as he is, and Jawn is just as clueless as Otto and Travis.

Deciding that the pit in his tummy and the insects nestling into his palms, chest, and head are under control, he answers.

"We just grew apart. It happens."

He sees Otto and Travis exchange looks. He imagines the Twitter moment he'll be featured in.

"Awsten Knight, Guitarist for Not Warriors, Finally Breaks His Silence About Ex-Best Friend Geoff Wigington, Lead Vocalist for RARE."

He wishes that the world would forget about his and Geoff's friendship as easily as Geoff did.

"That's too bad, you guys seemed close. It's insane to think about you two being best buds for twelve years, and then just kinda moving on from each other-"

The interviewer continues on, but all Awsten can hear is his brain burning files. He hears the roar of flames, and they singe at his memories until the structurally unsound floor gives away, allowing the fire to plummet to his tummy and set the pit on fire. The ants are scared by the flames, and they scramble carelessly through his veins.

He hasn't moved on from Geoff- but Geoff has moved on from him.

The bugs find the hole in his chest, and they start to pick at it. Nipping, tearing, ripping at the pieces of skin until the hole is too big. He can't hold out much longer.

The tears are building behind his eyes. They press against the inside of his forehead and the backs of his eyes and cheekbones. There's a thin layer of pure willpower keeping them in their place, but it's wearing thin.