Tallymark AU

First Day

Your name is Gavin Free, and you have never had a tally mark. Most people have arms full of tally's. single red marks tell the whole world your in love. Faded marks tell everyone you've loved and lost. Black marks tells people your love is returned, and a scar means your loved one has died. You don't have one though, you've been with a lot of people too, nobody clicks. You've tried both genders but your wrists remain free of the marks.

In some ways you've heard that's good. That falling in love sucks. There is nothing more you want more in life to fall in love though.

Geoff, your boss and most trusted friend, and almost father figure, has one black mark. He shares it with his wife. He's one of the lucky ones.

Ryan has at least three, two of them faded, and one that's black.

Jack has much more faded ones, and even a few scars, But he does have one black one.

Ray has two; one black and one faded.

Out of all the people you work with at Rooster teeth you are the only one who doesn't have one.

Your alarm is going off, you reach over and turn it off with a groan. The first thing you do every morning is check for a mark.

Nothing. Just like every morning.

"Oy! Fuck head! Get up time for work!" Geoff yells down the hall. You've lived with Geoff for ever it seems now. Though its only been about a year.

You get up and throw some clothes on, you dig your fingers in your hair a bit in hopes to fix it but to no avail.

"Hey buddy!" Geoff greets you with a smile and a cup of coffee. "Any luck?"

"Nah," you take the mug from his hands and head for the car.

"Don't worry, it will come."

"Doubt it." You climb into the car with a yawn.

"New guys coming today." Geoff climbs into the drivers seat. You never learned to drive. You know you should but it seems scary and your a bit lazy when it comes to this stuff.

"Oh yah." You don't sound excited though. In fact you sound like you could care less because you couldn't.

The drive to work is boring and you mostly just stare out the window.

When you walk in you see him. He's sitting in the desk next to yours and talking with Ray.

The first thing you notice is his arms are covered in scars. He has some tattoos as well but not a single tally is red, they are all scars and he has more then the whole room combined.

"Whoa." It slips breathlessly past your lips.

He turns around to look you over. He has auburn curls, freckles liter his face, he wears square glasses and has the prettiest amber eyes you've ever seen. He wears a black t-shirt and some blue jeans, he currently looks unamused by your reaction.

"That's Gavin." Ray smiles at you.

"Hey" you smile as you outstretch a hand to him.

"Michael" he takes your hand, his hand shake is firm but comfortable.

"Welcome to Roosterteeth then"

At first he doesn't smile at you, then you see dimples appear and his lips tug up. "Thanks."

////////////////////////////////////

You spend the day playing games with your friends like everyday and your happy to say that Michael seems to like you so far.

"Hey, so where's your mark's?"

"Gavin doesn't have any." Geoff answers the new guy for you.

"Really?"

"Yah." You look at your controller and your eyes travel to your bare wrists.

"Ah, love sucks anyways." Michael shrugs next to you.

"What makes you say that?" Ryan looks up slightly.

"Haven't you seen his arms?" Ray looks to the older man.

"I just got here, no"

Michael holds up his wrists (more like his arms) to show the man.

"Shit" Ryan sounds baffled but your too busy looking at Michaels arms to see his reaction.

"Looks like you got a lot of loved ones there." Jack smiles sadly.

"Yah," he turns to his computer and you can't help but feel a pang of guilt for him. Maybe you just feel sorry.

////////////////////////////////////

Michael gets up and grabs his keys. "Hey, Gavin right?"

"Yah" you look up from your monitor to his amber eyes. They are kinda pretty aren't they.

"Wanna grab some lunch?" He smiles, god he's kinda cute even.

"Sure!" You smile and stand.

Ray smiles behind him. "Oh man, I totally ship it."

"Excuse me." Michael turns slightly.

"Dude, you two should be a thing."

You blush at his words and look back to the American. "Ray, shut up" he smirks. "Lets go."

Michael slings an arm around your shoulders. "So your from Britain? What's it like there?" He walks you out to what you presume is his car.

"It's wonderful." Kinda like you in a way- hold on now.

"Cool. I'm just from New Jersey not much happens there."

You climb into the passenger seat and he climbs in next to you.

"No one on your 'list' yet?"

"Nah," You feel like that's inadequate though. "Nobody," you pause looking for the right words. "Fits the picture."

"Gotcha."

"What about you?"

He starts up the car and looks to you. "I don't want to fall in love." He says it blandly, but there's a hint at fear in his voice.

"Can I ask why?" He starts driving, his eyes focused on pulling out of the parking lot.

"I'm scared, too. Everyone I love, I'm like a fucking curse." he trails off an you nod to him that you understand.

"Yah." He pulls into a parking lot and you give him the best smile you can. He looks a little upset by your question. "Hey, lets just have a good lunch?"

At this he smiles back. "Yah."

---------------------------------------------

Hey! Sorry if this seems rushed but I want to get to the juicy stuff as soon as I can but I needed some background first. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this! I saw it on Tumblr and decided it must be written. Thanks for reading!