Jack and Gavin had been not-quite-dating for quite some time; they would go on kind-of-dates and have maybe-heart-to-heart conversations and they would be in an almost-relationship.
Jack was sure that their relationship would have blossomed into a full relationship had Gavin not been a complete commitment-phobe, closing up whenever the topic of his feelings came up.
On their kind-of-dates, Gavin would enjoy himself and relax and find himself calm while alone with Jack. He would smile because he was content, blush when Jack said or did something heart-warmingly adorable, and he would always be the first to say he was looking forward to next time.
But then they would go back to the office and Gavin would all but distance himself from Jack, acting as though nothing had changed between them. Jack would let him do this, knowing that allowing Gavin to do whatever he wanted to feel comfortable would eventually end in him fully trusting Jack. He couldn't deny that it hurt, but he let it happen.
During their maybe-heart-to-heart conversations, Gavin would gently prod Jack until he spilled what was on his mind. Be it a level of a game he couldn't beat that was getting on his nerves, or an array of less-than-kind YouTube comments that got to him, Gavin would always make it better. He would open up and reveal to Jack exactly why he likes him and exactly why his imperfections just made him even more perfect in Gavin's eyes.
Gavin made Jack strong, and that was something no one had ever been able to do as well as Gavin.
Things had been going okay in terms of their fragile relationship that was only fragile in the sense that one action or a single sentence could easily push them from kind-of-dating and into actually dating. But Gavin would always flee in situations like that by either changing the subject or shutting down completely.
Then Burnie walked into the Achievement Hunter office - that was oddly missing one member - on Monday morning to give the five men some news that had Jack's heart almost breaking as he grabbed his car keys and all but ran out of the office.
He vaguely heard Geoff sprinting out after him, calling out for Jack to stop and to calm down and to not do anything stupid or to at least wait for him, goddammit.
And when Jack hurriedly got into his car, one glance to his right told him that Geoff had caught up to him and was coming with him whether he liked it or not.
Geoff might have said something, but Jack's head was spinning far too much for him to listen. The only things he could focus on were Burnie's words echoing round his head and his destination.
"Gavin's been in an accident." Burnie confessed solemnly. "He's at the hospital at the moment, they didn't tell me how injured he was… They said he took a taxi home last night but a speeding car crossed a red light and slammed into the side of it…"
Jack hadn't stayed in the office long enough to hear the rest of Burnie's explanation.
Gavin was the only person Jack had ever met who actually made him feel calm, happy, strong, all at the same time.
And now it was Jack's turn to make Gavin feel strong.
The receptionist looked startled when she was faced with an almost shaking Jack and a tense Geoff who had one hand on Jack's elbow to steady both himself and Jack.
"What can I do for you?" She asked, evidently concerned at their dishevelled and panicked state.
"Gavin Free, where is he?" Geoff demanded, his worry for Gavin currently being released through anger.
"I'm sorry, I can only let people with close relations to the patient into his room." The nurse said apologetically after looking up Gavin's name on her computer.
"Then you're gonna let us in." Geoff stated, a determined and unmoving expression on his face. "He's family to me."
The nurse gave him a faint disbelieving look, but any doubts she had were tossed aside when she took note of the conviction and emotion in Geoff's voice.
"What about you, sir?" The receptionist queried, looking from Geoff to Jack who was struggling to stay calm at this point.
"He's…" Jack muttered. He had to tell her. Gavin would kill him for letting Geoff know, and for using that word to describe their relationship. But he had to see Gavin. "He's my boyfriend, you have to let me see him."
Jack made sure not to look Geoff in the eye, but he was glad for how the older man didn't question him because Jack didn't think he could explain if he tried. He couldn't without Gavin, anyway.
"Alright, I'll get a nurse to show you to his room." The receptionist informed calmly, pressing a couple of buttons on her computer. "If you could just take a seat, a nurse will be with you shortly."
Jack knew that Geoff was about to complain, was about to say he needed to see Gavin now. But Jack also knew that arguing would get them nowhere and would only waste their energy. Jack didn't have much of that at that moment, he felt exhausted and emotionally drained, even though he had only received the news of Gavin's accident less than thirty minutes ago.
So he sat down on the hard plastic chair and began tapping his fingers on his knee, watching every door visible from his seat out of the corner of his eye.
Geoff didn't even sit down; he began pacing immediately which only made Jack even more nervous.
Jack had a thought of texting Ryan an apology, telling him he would have to hold down the fort in the AH office while Geoff and Jack made sure Gavin was okay. But all thought of contacting anyone was eradicated when a nurse stepped out of one of the doors Jack had been watching and stood by the reception desk.
"Is anyone here for Gavin Free?" He asked, watching emotionlessly while Jack quickly sprang up from the chair and Geoff stopped his pacing.
"That's us." Geoff said, and Jack made a mental note to thank him later. There was no way he could have stayed so calm, no matter how fake it was.
The nurse led them through the same set of doors he had appeared through, down a hallway and to another set of double doors.
He spoke as he led Geoff and Jack through the doors and into a hospital room. "The collision occurred at approximately 11pm last night. He's been in surgery to get the broken bones in his arm and ankle set and to ensure he has no other non-visible injuries. Because of his broken ankle, he will need a walking aid after he's released this afternoon for at least five weeks, and-"
Jack tuned out the babble of the nurse, instead focussing his attention on the pristine white sheets of the bed that Gavin lay in. He had a white cast on his left forearm and his left foot and bandages all around his left arm and shoulder. Only a few minor scratches were visible on his face, but there was a painful looking bruise that covered his left cheek.
His usually bright and shining hazel eyes were dull and tired, and if seeing Gavin injured hadn't broken Jack's heart, noticing how the life had almost been taken from him sure as hell did.
Gavin tilted his head upwards a fraction - and he winced as he did so - and Jack promised himself earlier that he wasn't going to cry, but he couldn't help it as his eyes prickled with tears upon seeing Gavin's lips twitch in the smallest of smiles after seeing Jack.
Walking slowly, Jack approached Gavin's bed and sat down in the armchair next to it.
Gavin opened his mouth to speak, but whatever he was about to say died on his tongue when he turned his right hand over on the covers and Jack took it in his own, holding it firmly and softly and as though he had never been happier for the contact.
The silence was almost welcome; there were so many things that Jack wanted to say, but he didn't know how. And if the way Gavin's eyes appeared soulful as they gladly took in the view of Jack, he had things he didn't know how to say as well.
Then Geoff went and broke the silence with a friendly and familiar tone to his voice. "I'm never letting you take a taxi ever again."
Gavin smiled widely and sighed, his soft grip on Jack's hand never changing. "You offering to be my personal chauffeur?"
"If it means you don't end up hurt again then sure." Geoff answered honestly, but then he smirked in an almost shark-like manner and Jack knew that smirk and he didn't like the look of it. It was devious and as though what he was about to say had the potential to change everything and set something off. The point was, no one ever knew whether it was going to be a good thing or a bad thing, so Jack had every right to be nervous of that shit-eating grin. "Though I'm sure your boyfriend would probably prefer to have that job."
Jack averted his gaze from Gavin and glared at Geoff, mentally projecting 'you dick' as loud as possible, hoping that some Derren Brown shit would happen and Geoff would realise what a mistake that was.
"You… What?" Gavin looked confused more than anything. Jack was just glad that he wasn't angry. He was terrified that he'd fucked up by telling the receptionist that. He could have just told her that he was Gavin's distant cousin or something.
Gavin looked at Jack with intrigue in his eyes - which thankfully had a tiny bit of sparkle to them once again - but still didn't let go of his hand.
"I know you didn't want anyone knowing that we're… whatever you wanna call it," Jack started nervously, but somewhere along the line he managed to muster a little confidence that may or may not have anything to do with the split second when Gavin squeezed his hand reassuringly. "But what was I supposed to do, Gavin? Wait out there, not knowing if you were okay? Like it or not, I really care about you and if telling everyone means I get to keep you safe then I'll do it in a heartbeat.
"And I know that you don't like commitment, but I honestly think that's what this is." Jack confessed, voice still a little bit quiet as he spoke solely for Gavin (though he didn't care whether Geoff overheard or not). "Because when I feel like shit, you're always there with kind and comforting words and you may not want to believe it, but you actually make me feel like I'm worth something to you and you genuinely look like you enjoy doing so. And now, the roles are reversed and the only thing I want to do is take care of you."
Gavin didn't speak for a long few seconds; instead he smiled warmly and thankfully at Jack.
Meanwhile, Geoff stood at the foot of Gavin's bed, almost frozen with shock at how heartfelt Jack had just spoken about Gavin. He'd obviously originally thought that Jack claimed to be Gavin's boyfriend just to be let into the room, boy was he surprised when Jack's claim turned out to be somewhat true.
When Gavin spoke, he spoke as if he'd carefully chosen every single word for fear of it not being right. It was evident that he wanted to make this work and that he really did care about Jack.
"I know I'm the biggest commitment-phobe you've ever met, and I know that you deserve way better than someone like me, but… you're right, I do enjoy making you feel better after a shitty day. And it wasn't until now that I really considered why that was." Gavin paused, taking another breath that still seemed to come more difficult than usual due to his injuries. "I'm just not fond of bringing other people into my problems…
"But I've found recently that when I'm not with you, I'm weaker than I should be. Is that wrong?" Gavin asked nervously, and Jack shook his head in a firm 'no'. "'Cause you make me strong, Jack. And I don't know much about feelings and shit, but I think I'm less scared of this than I was before."
Instead of speaking, Jack nodded to show his understanding and allowed Gavin to let everything out that he'd been bottling up for the seven months that they'd been together for, and most likely longer.
"I know I used to always try and get away from actually talking about how I feel, but now I guess I'm less scared to say I need you, y'know?" Gavin paused again for a second, the hint of a faint smile on his perfect lips as he spoke his confession. "Because I love you."
Jack's heart must have either skipped a beat or completely stopped, because that buzzing feeling in his chest felt far too good to be normal. His entire face had flushed in a dark pink blush and he could've sworn he was on cloud nine.
"I love you too, Gavin." Jack exhaled, somehow managing to talk without falling over his words. He was still in shock from hearing those few words fall from Gavin's lips as if they belonged there.
"I've wasted so much time dicking around and lying to myself about how I feel about you, I don't wanna waste any more time." Gavin admitted bravely, but almost sheepishly.
"You don't have to, I'm right here for you, Gavin." Jack informed, a reassuring smile on his face. And it was true, whatever Gavin needed, Jack would happily help him with.
"C'mere," Gavin said, tugging lightly on Jack's hand and raising his chin. Jack didn't need a heartfelt explanation to know what Gavin was asking for, so he leaned forwards - carefully minding Gavin's injuries - and gently brushed his lips against Gavin's in the softest of kisses.
When Jack pulled away and sat back up straight in the chair, he was abruptly reminded of Geoff's presence when the other man sniffed suddenly.
"Fuckin' assholes," Geoff cursed with an annoyed and slightly ashamed expression, but that didn't cover the fact that he was currently wiping away a couple of stray tears as he watched Gavin and Jack. "I'm just fuckin' happy you're alright, alright?"
"Of course, Geoffrey, we believe you." Gavin said with a smirk, knowing that he could totally use this as future blackmail.
"Oh fuck you." Geoff snapped, and the bite to his voice would have been angry if he hadn't been joking all the same.
"Uh, I think you'll find that's Jack's job now." Gavin answered, a cheeky grin on his face as he winked at Jack - who blushed bright red again - and laughed.
Laughing; that was good. It meant everything would be okay. Even if Gavin winced a little bit when it brought some pain to his injuries, he was still grinning widely and chatting with Geoff and Jack is if they were sat in the Achievement Hunter office rather than a hospital room.
So the three of them talked and joked and laughed at least a good few hours away while nurses and doctors occasionally came in to run a test or check Gavin's bandages or ensure his casts were doing their job.
And throughout those few hours, Gavin never let go of Jack's hand once.
Only when Gavin was given the all-clear from the doctor that allowed him to finally leave the hospital did Jack drop Gavin's hand. But he was then appointed the job of pushing Gavin's wheelchair (he wasn't allowed crutches just yet, his broken arm wouldn't allow it) out into the parking lot where Jack's car was parked.
"You two take the rest of the day off, just drop me off at the office first, okay?" Geoff suggested as he put the wheelchair in the boot while Jack assisted Gavin into the passenger seat of the car.
"Aww, but-" Gavin began, but was cut off by a stern look from Geoff.
"As your boss, I order you to take the afternoon off. You've been through a lot and you're pumped full of painkillers and drugs, you're bound to crash soon." Geoff stated, closing the boot and placing his hands on his hips. "You too, Jack. That asshole needs someone to take care of him."
"Whatever you say, boss." Jack said, mutually agreeing with Geoff that Gavin needed the rest and someone to ensure he didn't hurt himself again.
A few minutes into the drive and Geoff's prediction was proven correct; Gavin had drifted into a light sleep and was resting his head against the window, his cast-covered forearm resting in his lap carefully.
Jack made sure to drive slowly and carefully, not going round corners too quickly or driving fast over any speed bumps for fear of waking Gavin. He originally worried that Geoff was going to snap at him to get him to work before even Monty decides it's time to leave, but then Geoff smiled knowingly and shut the car door softly after getting out at the office.
And when he finally arrived in his driveway, he hooked one arm underneath Gavin's knees and the other around his back to pick him up bridal style as he carefully brought the sleepy and injured Brit inside. After being laid down on Jack's bed, Gavin murmured in his sleep and gently grabbed onto the hem of Jack's shirt just as he was about to leave.
A glance at the luminous numbers on the clock that resided on the nightstand told Jack it was only half past four in the afternoon, so he pulled out his phone, fully intentional on checking his emails before wasting some time browsing. But after he kicked off his shoes and slipped under the covers next to Gavin, a cast-free arm wound itself around Jack's waist, tugging himself closer to the heat source and nuzzling into Jack's side.
So Jack put his phone down and wrapped one arm around Gavin's back, holding him close as he found himself drifting to sleep as well. He couldn't be blamed for being exhausted; it had been an exceptionally draining day.
And how could he resist falling asleep next to the man he had been in love with for the past seven months? Especially after his feelings had been returned and Gavin had finally given their relationship - their real relationship this time, no 'almost's or 'maybe's about it - a genuine chance.
Jack already had tomorrow planned. He was going to take care of Gavin and do anything he asked, no matter how ridiculous the request (which, with Gavin, was highly likely). Without realising it, Gavin had always been the one to make Jack feel strong. Now it was Jack's turn to make Gavin feel like he had the world at his fingertips. It was the least he could do after all Gavin had done for him.
Even now, with Gavin injured and on hospital-administered drugs, Jack felt strong.
Gavin trusted him, and that was something Jack felt privileged to have, because it meant Gavin trusted him enough to let himself be loved and taken care of by Jack. And really, that's all Jack really wanted; to love and look after Gavin.