Hard To See (Gawsten)

fourteen

Welcome back!! I haven't updated this- or well anything, really- in a minute. Holiday season, y'know? I stepped away from updating for a moment because I needed a break, but now I'm back!!

With that being said, here's some news: my writing style has changed?? Yeah idk how it could change just bc I stepped away for around a month, but it has. Past tense is out, present tense is in. I'll be editing this whole book (as well as Missing You) accordingly. No details will change, don't worry!!

Anyway, onward with this story!!

Trigger Warning: Blood.

***

Otto's parents are- for some inconvenient reason- home today. Their cars gleam in the driveway, causing the boys to stop.

"We can't go in! If they see Aws, they'll freak out!" Otto panics.

"My mom is home, and there's no way to tell how long Geoff's apartment will be empty- and that's assuming it is in the first place," Jawn says, thinking out loud.

"Okay, we can go back to my apartment. Unless you guys have a better idea?" Kellin responds, and Jawn nods his head.

Awsten is still cradled to Geoff's chest, having completely forgotten that he's supposed to be avoiding him, Otto, and Jawn. The chilly air is turning his veins to ice, and he is shaking uncontrollably. Geoff holds him as tightly as possible without hurting him, not caring about the blood that's getting on his black t-shirt and leather jacket.

"Dude, you live twenty minutes away. We can't walk through town with Awsten covered in blood," Geoff sighs. He almost doesn't hear Awsten whimper quietly. Almost. He looks down at the blond boy. His eyes are closed, and his nose is slightly scrunched up. He's in pain.

"We have to get him out of the cold. What about the apartment in your basement?" Jawn asks Otto, casting a weary glance at Awsten.

"How about the fucking hospital! Guys, c'mon! What if he's seriously hurt?" Otto says, having just remembered that medical aid exists.

"No!" Awsten exclaims, and squirms in Geoff's grasp. If their plan is to dump him off at some hospital, where the police will get involved and his dad will be even more pissed off than ever, he'd rather just leave and patch himself up. He has to get out of Geoff's arms first, though.

"Okay! Okay! No hospital," Geoff soothes, keeping his grip on the blond boy. Awsten stills again. For someone who's bleeding from multiple places and was just chased through his own house, Awsten sure has some kick left. Geoff readjusts the boy gently and looks at Otto.

"Downstairs apartment- yes or no?"

Otto takes a deep breath to regain his composure. "Yes."

"Otto and I will go in first and distract his parents. Listen for a whistle," Jawn instructs, and he and Otto jog up to the house. They pause to collect themselves before going through the front door.

"How are you doing, Aws?" Kellin asks, turning to the shaking boy in Geoff's arms. He has his face pressed to Geoff's shoulder now. His busted lip and cut cheek are still visible- an image of what could've happened to Geoff if he had stayed with Travis. Kellin shakes the thought away.

"Okay," Awsten's uneven voice breaks through the cold air. A little cloud leaves his mouth with the spoken word.

Kellin meets Geoff's eyes, and he knows that the brunet is on the same page- Awsten is anything but okay.