The Assistant | Scavi

Reunited

After the call, Avi felt drained. He didn't feel like meditating anymore, didn't even feel like hiking anymore. But he still had about an hour to kill until he had to go back to the bus. So he laid back against a tree and looked at the sky, watched how the few clouds passed by. He tried to shift his focus away from the storm brewing in his mind, but it was hard.

His hands were shaking when he grabbed his bottle of water and drank a few sips from his water, then pulled out his pill box. He emptied the pills into his hand and counted. He had ten sleeping pills left, but only eight of the anxiety medication. Not nearly enough to last him until Scott would be back, but he would be in Chicago and would be able to get something there without his friends noticing. So he took two of the small blue anxiety pills and put the rest back into the box.

He laid back again, closed his eyes and willed the pills to take effect quickly, he didn't want to break down in the middle of the forest.

~

Avi jolted up when he heard his phone ringing. Kaleb. "Yeah?"

"Where are you? We're waiting for you at the bus. We wanted to leave fifteen minutes ago."

Avi looked at his watch and gasped. He really was too late. "Oh shit. I... forgot the time. I'll be there in ten."

"It's alright, don't worry, we'll wait for you. Just wanted to make sure you didn't fall and pass out somewhere in the middle of the forest. I'll see you later, Avi, take care."

Avi sighed. He wasn't sure whether he had passed out or fallen asleep after taking the pills and it was a scary thought. A scary thought he pushed aside quickly, he didn't want to think about how he would feel once everything would crash down on him.

He got up and grabbed his bag, then got on his way back to the bus. It didn't take him long, and when he entered the bus, he smiled bashfully at the three men sitting in the lounge. "Sorry..."Miles just shook his head. "I had time to eat something and have a huge mug of tea, courtesy of your tea box. Call it payback." He got up. "Anyone else got lost in the woods or can we take off?"

Avi rolled his eyes. "I wasn't lost in the woods. I never get lost in the woods."

Kaleb chuckled. "Oh I remember that one time..." he started.

"Anyone else a fresh cup of tea?" Avi asked loudly to drawn out his friend, who was laughing hard at him.

He was glad to be around his friends, was happy to for the much needed distraction from everything that was on his mind. He knew that it would crash down on him eventually, but for the time being, he was okay.

"Tea would be lovely. And some card games?" Noah asked.

Avi nodded. "Tea and card games sound wonderful right now."

~

"Thank you for driving me on such a short notice" Scott said as Mitch drove into the chaos that was the airport of LA.

"Of course. You want to be with Avi..." Mitch replied. "And I told you to take the first flight Esther can organise. And it's business class which is even better."

"Mmhm..." Scott said. "I just want to make sure that he's alright. I am glad that he didn't suffer from a panic attack, but from call to call he sounded more and more tired and exhausted."

Mitch nodded. "I get it. And I really think you should go and be with Avi. He needs you right now. Once he's started his therapy he will get help and will be able to be fine on his own, but for now you are his therapy. It's hard for you, but just know that you're helping him a lot."

Scott shook his head. "It's not hard, Mitch. At least when I am with him. He's so calm, I don't even have to do that much to help him. Just some tea, cuddles and my presence. He doesn't need anything else. But then again it is hard right now. Knowing that I am not with him, knowing that he is on his own, fighting his demons without me..."

"See? It has some influence on you after all" Mitch said softly. "Just the way my anxiety influenced you. Maybe it is not that hard on you because you've been through it all with me." He parked the car in the drop off zone and turned to his best friend. "Alright. Take care of yourself and Avi. Have fun and get back to LA in one piece because I cannot wait to see you again for the final night of the tour."

Scott smiled. "Me neither. It's a month until then and I cannot wait. Tour is fun but I just want to hibernate with Avi in his hammock for a day or two..." He sighed softly. "Anyway, I should get going..." He leaned over and hugged Mitch tight. "And you try to not kill your boss."

"Don't remind me, she's coming back from Europe tomorrow. One more day in peace..." Mitch chuckled. "Anyway, have a safe flight and let me know once you arrived safely."

Scott nodded. "I will."

~

It was late that night when Scott arrived at the hotel in Chicago. He was glad that he was able to join his boyfriend after the concert in Chicago when they had another night in a hotel room and a fairly moderate pick up at ten the next morning. 

He asked the receptionist for a spare key to Avi's room, he still was booked into his room, because he hadn't known his exact travel dates when Esther was managing the bookings, they had kept it that way, it was easier.

Another advantage was that he got the key easily and was standing in front of the room only minutes later. He knocked softly so Avi wouldn't startle and then opened the door. "Avi? It's just me, Scott." Once he had announced himself, he entered the room, and smiled when he heard Avi's electric toothbrush in the bathroom. 

Scott put down his bag and stepped into the bathroom. Avi hadn't heard him and almost dropped his toothbrush when he saw his boyfriend in the mirror. He spit out the toothpaste and turned around. "Scott..."

The blonde smiled. "Hello, Love." He opened his arms when Avi approached him and hugged him tight. 

"How are you here?" Avi asked. 

"Got on a plane and a cab" Scott replied. 

Avi chuckled softly. "I get that" he said and supressed a yawn. "Sorry..."

Scott shook his head. "Don't be sorry, Babe. It's been a long day." 

"Mmhm..." Avi closed his eyes when he breathed in his boyfriend's unique scent. That, together with the pill he had already taken was enough to lull him in.

"Avi?" Scott chuckled softly when he noticed that his boyfriend was pretty much falling asleep in his arms. "Hey, Love?"

"Mmhm?" 

"Shall we get you to bed, dear? You're so tired." He softly carressed his head while he was talking.

"Want to cuddle..."

"Oh we can cuddle. It will be much more comfortable in bed, hmm?" 

"Yeah..." 

Carefully, Scott brought Avi into the bed and tucked him in, smiling softly when he noticed that his boyfriend was already asleep when he pressed a good night kiss onto his lips.

The blonde made a mental note to ask him why he had been so exhausted, but for the time being all he wanted is to get out of his clothes and into the bed to finally snuggle up with his boyfriend. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~