024.

                                    

                                          
"I want you." Geoff murmured against Awsten's bare skin, sweaty palms running up and down the younger boy's back. They had barely even talked when Geoff got there. All he really wanted to do was finish what he and Awsten had started at his house. 
                          
Awsten's room was bigger than Geoff's living room. His bed was pressed into the corner while a giant white rug covered the middle of his floor. He kept an acoustic and electric guitar pressed into the other corner, where a large white dresser loomed nearby. The room was neatly decorated, with white Christmas lights strung up on every exposed wall. 
                          
"Aren't you afraid?" Awsten pulled himself from Geoff's lips, his purple hair sticking to his forehead with anticipation and sweat. His dual-colored eyes were shimmering in the exposed moonlight, wide and filled with fear. "I don't want to cause you to have another episode." His comment made guilt punch him in the gut, which made him sit up and turn his back towards Geoff. 
                          
Geoff sat up, pulling the younger boy into his lap and holding him close. "You honestly think that was your fault, Aws?" He attempted to turn Awsten's head toward his, but the purple-haired boy refused. "None of that was your fault, you know that." Raking a hand through his hair, Geoff sighed shakily as he took in a deep breath. "It isn't your fault for my PTSD, Awsten. It's his fault." He refused to call that monster his father. 
                          
"I don't think you're ready." Awsten breathed, glancing over toward the opened window and sighing slightly. "Believe me, I want this more than anything." The small boy finally gazed over at Geoff, collapsing back into his grasp with a huff. "But I think—" His voice was cut off by him swallowing his words, which didn't help any as they only regurgitated back up. "—it won't hurt to wait."
                          
Geoff wrapped one arm around Awsten and supported his head with the other, his gaze staring up at the ceiling where small plastic stars were glued. "Whatever you say, princess."
                          
————
                          
The crackle of shattering glass filled Geoff's ears as he lay, halfway between awareness and slumber. He thought it was just another episode, that is until he heard the yelling coming from Awsten's voice. 
                          
Geoff sat up abruptly, running sleep from his eyes and checking his phone for the time. 12:56. He swung his legs over the edge of Awsten's king-sized bed, creeping over to his bedroom door and pressing his ear against it. 
                          
The voices were muffled, but still able to be made out in Geoff's ears. 
                          
"I'm sorry I'll never be whatever the fuck you want me to be!" Awsten's voice sounded shrill, stressed out and drenched in sadness. Geoff could imagine the young boy tugging at the ends of his hair as he spoke. "I'm fucking happy, dad, isn't that what you should want for me? For me to be happy?!"
                          
A long and drawn out sigh echoed through the walls. Geoff could envision a man who looked like a carbon copy of Awsten standing in the hallway, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. "But you aren't gay, Awsten. You can't be. My son is straight, not a faggot!"
                          
Geoff's blood was beginning to boil. His clammy palm gripped the door, and without even thinking, Geoff threw himself out of his room, scrambling to cover Awsten's cowering body with his own. 
                          
That's when he got a good look at what exactly Awsten's dad looked like. He was a short-statured yet burly man, with toned arm muscles and a harsh stare. His eyes were dark and hard to read, which made uneasiness to bubble inside of Geoff's stomach. His hair was greying and buzzed short, probably military protocol if Geoff had to guess. His dad's eyes widened as he began to register the situation in his mind. 
                          
"Geoff, what the hell are you doing?" Awsten whispered as he tugged Geoff out of the way, eyes widened with fear. His nails dig into Geoff's arm, making him mumble an apology before pulling his hands away. "You shouldn't have done this—" Awsten returned his hands to his hair, tugging on the ends and squeezing his eyes shut. "Gee, no you shouldn't have—"
                          
Awsten's worrying was cut off by the heavy punch launched into Geoff's cheek, making an iron taste bleed through out his mouth as he flew against the carpeted hallway floor. Geoff spit some blood out onto the carpet, glancing up and noticing Awsten's dad visibly shaking with anger. Another punch landed on Geoff's other cheek, making Awsten emit a small shriek of fear. More blood flooded Geoff's mouth, but he continued spitting it onto the carpet as if it never affected him. 
                          
"So—" Geoff felt saliva hit along his skin as Awsten's dad paced around him in a circle. "You're the one who made my son think this away, huh?" He kicked into Geoff's ribs, making the boy hunker over in visible pain. "Who are you, huh? Who exactly are you?"
                          
Geoff sputtered slightly, spitting out more blood as he glanced up in bleary vision. He was terrified, though he couldn't show Awsten that. He felt as though today might be his last day on earth, but his emotions were unreadable. A smirk manifested on Geoff's lips as he stared up at Awsten's dad, fearful and fearless all at once. "My name is Geoff Wigington, and I think I'm in love with your son."