=Trayden's POV=
(Wednesday, 12/25/2019; 7:15 pm)
(Barbarchi City, Archipelago)
(Trayden's Apartment)

I don't know how long I cried, but I know I must have fallen asleep to wake suddenly now from a laying position on the couch. I rubbed my eyes and forced my body to move so I could sit up, then locate my balance to stand. I stretched and tiredly moved to the bathroom, after relieving myself, I splashed my face and looked in the mirror. My eyes still showed some red from crying earlier, I dried my face and hands before exiting the room and trying to pat myself down for my phone. I noticed it on the end table near the couch and then remembered I'd set it to charge upon getting home and sitting down. I made my way to the device and unplugged it, then noticed the time. It was 7:15 pm! Gods, I was supposed to go to Hunter's at 6:30! I quickly noticed the slew of messages from people trying to reach me, mostly my mom and dad, a couple from friends, and then, as I expected, from Hunter too. There were some missed calls, and voicemails from my parents as well. I wasn't answering them right now. I wasn't mad at my parents, but I didn't want to be begged to come back to talk about things.

I moved to the texts with Hunter, seeing one from when I didn't answer after he made the blushing and turned on comment, but that was at 4:40-ish and when I was in the midst of dealing with my brother. The message only said that he was sorry and wouldn't tease me, but on the brightside, at least our feelings were mutual about wanting one another. I guess that was true, but I'd have to let him know that I only didn't respond because my brother was being a pain. I continued to read the messages down, going by the order of timestamps.

Hunter's Cell, 4:55 pm
I guess you must doing desserts with the family, I know you mentioned that happening around 5 lol. I'm sitting down to dinner with Greg, so I'll message you after, handsome.

Hunter's Cell, 5:30 pm
Dinner done, and cleaned up. We're relaxing now and probably doing desserts later. How's things going for you?

Hunter's Cell, 6:10 pm,
Greg just left, so now I'm alone, bored, anxiously and excitedly waiting to see you again. I saved some desserts for you, if you still have room to eat more XD Also have ice cream sundae stuff…Cuz I know you said they were your favorites and figured we could enjoy them during a movie. Not sure how late you plan to stay, I know you have work tomorrow, but happy you agreed to see me anyway :)

Hunter's Cell, 6:20 pm
I promise I'm not stalking the door this time! *Am totally stalking the window* XD

Hunter's Cell, 6:35 pm
Has your family refused to relinquish you at 6 pm? Should I come rescue you? O.o I know you said 6:30, and I know you're a stickler for being on time unless something comes up lol Maybe I should stop hounding you, your phone might have died. None of the message have been read yet XD. I'm sorry. You're likely on your way. I'll wait patiently! :) Just be careful on the roads, the temps are supposed to drop and there's warning of black ice.

Hunter's Cell, 6:50 pm
On a serious note…Is everything okay? If you changed your mind about coming over, it's fine. Just let me know because I'm starting to get worried that something happened to you and I could use that reassurance like you did earlier today to set me at ease…

Hunter's Cell, 7:05 pm
Tray, for the love of Odin, message me back anything at all so I know you're alright! Is there a family emergency?

Hunter's Cell, 7:15 pm
Please let me know you're alright? I'm actually scared and maybe overreacting, but it's not like you to go this long without replying unless you're at work and I know you're not tonight. Is your car okay? Are you okay!? I'll never forgive myself if I missed something and it caused you to crash. If you don't message me back by 7:30, I'm getting in my car to come find you! I'll call our friends to get your address, and your parents'…I will drive out and retrace your path. Please? Please text me…

I couldn't believe how worried Hunter is because I wasn't answering. I knew I should have messaged when I got home to say I was going to take a nap, then set an alarm to be up for 6:00. I needed to text him back, or maybe I should call him? It'd be easier and faster than trying to type it all. I went to press the phone icon to call him, and saw another message pop up.

Hunter's Cell, 7:17 pm
Tray?! Are you there?...I saw the messages turn to read. I've been staring at the screen, I know that sounds creepy, but I don't care…I need to know you're okay…

I pressed the button as intended and let the call start, then I heard the ringing. Before the first ring even ended, there was a pickup.

"Hello?" Came Hunter's voice, calm and curious, but an undertone of fear.

"Hi, Hunter. It's me…" I replied.

"Tray?!" Hunter exclaimed instantly. "Do you have any idea how worried I've been?! I've been sitting here for almost two hours, trying to reach you because I thought something happened to you!"

I flinched at his tone, it sounded angry, but I know he's scared or relieved that he made contact with me. I still felt like crying from earlier. "I-I'm sorry…" I sniffled. "I-I didn't…Mean to worry you."

I heard Hunter sigh, and take a deep breath. "And I'm sorry for yelling at you. I'm not angry, just relieved you're alright…Don't cry, please?" There was a pause while I wiped my eyes and tried to take a breath or two. "Do you want to tell me why you stopped answering?" He asked.

"Something happened at my parents' house and I ended up leaving early…" I said softly.

"And why haven't you been replying if you left there early? Did someone get hurt? Are you hurt? You didn't take off in a rush and end up in an accident, did you?" Hunter inquired.

"Someone did get hurt, and it was me…No, I wasn't in an accident. I just…Ended up leaving around 4:45, getting home, and crying…" I informed, still upset about earlier.

"That tells me something with your family upset and hurt you…Do you want to tell me?" Hunter offered gently.

"Not the whole family, an argument between me and my brother where he cornered, then forced me to tell everyone that I'm gay…" I tried to fight back the tears forming again.

"He made you do something you weren't ready to do…" Hunter sighed. "So I wasn't wrong to feel like something happened and you ended up hurt…"

"I was ready to tell them, I planned to do it tonight after dessert…I just wasn't ready for how it came out…" I sniffed a bit. "I said my piece and left. Once I got home, I just cried on the couch and fell asleep until about ten minutes ago," I added. "I didn't mean to worry you when I stopped answering and didn't show up for 6:30…"

"No, no. Don't worry about it…You had more than valid reason," Hunter reassured.

"Do you mind if I still come over? I don't really want to be alone right now," I wondered.

"Of course, I don't mind at all. I had my night dedicated to seeing you anyway," Hunter reminded.

"Okay…I'll be there in about ten minutes," I responded.

"See you soon," Hunter replied. I pulled the phone down from my ear, and ended the call. I took a few moments to get myself together, then stood up to get my things and finally got out the door.

. . .

(7:30 pm)
(Hunter's House)

I pulled into Hunter's driveway, parked, and got out. Once I locked the car up, I walked to the door and rang the bell. I watched the door open and saw Hunter standing there with a small, sympathetic smile. He must have known I felt awkward about asking to come to his house after what I'd dealt with, that our original plans were to hang out and now I'm here because I was upset and didn't want to be alone. However, I was surprised when he took my hand and gave a light tug to get me moving and be inside his main foyer. Hunter closed the door, and then pulled me gently in for a hug. I shifted into it and relaxed a little before hugging him back. Hunter drew back and smiled soft still.

"I've heard hugs from friends can offer comfort and sometimes help make the person feel better," Hunter stated. "Hope my hug can be one of those sometimes," He added.

"It is," I tried to give him a smile. I did feel better being around Hunter, but I'd noticed that I always seem to be comfortable and happy around him. Maybe Dexter wasn't wrong about me developing a crush on Hunter. It didn't matter right now.

"Come on," Hunter set around my shoulder and led me into the living room. "Want anything to drink? I have all the usuals," He asked. "If you feel like getting wasted, I've got a spare room and I'll call you out of work tomorrow?" He added, jokingly to probably try and cheer me up.

"Already ahead of you on calling out…" I admitted. "I messaged my boss before leaving my apartment and told him I wouldn't be in because of personal reasons. It's not like I lied to him, and he didn't ask for details. He knows the only reasons I'll ever call out are for being sick, or personal matters that he's already aware would involve my family in a variety of things since my dad is the mayor. Could be an event, a death, security issue…I don't have to be specific with him," I shrugged.

"That's good, though. And you're right, it's not like you lied about the reason. You are dealing with something that involved your family and you need time to sit with," Hunter agreed. "So drink? Alcoholic, soft, or you good?" He wondered.

"Soda?" I suggested.

"Coke, Sprite, Fanta, Root Beer, Ginger-Ale? Might have Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper in the garage too," Hunter offered.

"Fanta, please," I replied. Hunter grabbed the drink for me, and something for himself before returning to the living room and handing me a glass or the orange soda, then he sat down next to me. I took a few sips, and set it down on the coaster. "Thanks,"

"You're welcome," Hunter nodded. "Would you like to talk about it? I hear that helps too," He stated after a few moments.

"Is it going to be awkward if I mention before telling you that everything started because of you and me texting?" I looked down.

"This all happened because of us talking?" Hunter blinked a few times. I nodded. "Well, now I feel like I have to know if it involved me. And no, it won't make it awkward,"

I sighed and started to tell him how everything went down between my brother Dexter and me. I didn't go into major detail, or say things word for word if they didn't have huge role to play. It took about twenty minutes to get through it all, but that was also because of pauses and taking small drinks from my glass of soda. "And the last thing I said to my brother was that all you've done is protect me from people like him, those who push others before they're ready," I took a breath.

"And that's when you left, went home, cried, and fell asleep until 7?" Hunter inquired. I nodded to him. "I know you talked to me after waking up, what about your family?"

"Texts, missed calls, voicemails…They did try to stop me from leaving, but I was already backing out of the driveway and heading down the road before they touched the pavement," I mentioned softly. "I haven't checked anything on the phone, I know what it basically says and I just don't want to deal with it tonight,"

"Fair enough," Hunter said, understanding. "I'm still really surprised that I apparently became the cause of the fight and somehow it shifted to your brother bringing up your ex, then figuring out what happened and forcing you to come out," He added.

"Funny how fast escalate," I mumbled. "When I got home, I didn't even cry right away. I just sat there to reprocess what the hell happened, try to figure out how to handle it and realized that I really didn't know what to do because there were so many emotions involved in it. I was mad, hurt, upset and-,"

"And when so many things hit at once, usually, the most appropriate response is crying. That in itself can make you tired, so at some point you fell asleep," Hunter supplied.

"Yeah…Again, I'm sorry I didn't let you know what happened-," I began.

"Hey, it's okay. Like I mentioned in all my texts, it wasn't so much that you didn't come at 6:30 as we planned. It was that you weren't answering, and I wasn't being left on read. It would just stay at delivered, so I started to worry that something happened to you after 6:30 because I knew you said you were only staying at your parents' place until 6 pm," Hunter explained.

"The thing is, I told myself after getting home that I should message you to let you know I left my parents' early, then I was going to set an alarm for 6 pm. But the emotions hit harder and yeah," I stated.

"I understand, Tray. Don't worry. Scared the hell outta me earlier when I saw you calling. I was terrified of it being one of your parents telling me you'd been in an accident…Only because you weren't answering messages, and you've never called me before," Hunter mentioned.

"I'm sorry for scaring you, I didn't think you'd get so worried over me…" I admitted.

"Why wouldn't I?" Hunter arched a brow.

"I'm just the new friend you met less than a month ago? I…Didn't think I meant that much to scare you enough that you were ready to go looking for me," I muttered bashfully. I blushed a bit when I saw his hand go over mine.

"Tray, I don't care if I've known you since Pre-School, or met you an hour ago…If I say you're my friend, then you're my friend. I care about all my friends the same way. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for them. If you called me at 6 am to come save you from being stranded at a strangers house who you had a drunken, one night stand with…I'd come pick you up. You end up homeless, you can stay with me. You call me from lock up, I'll bail you out. Need a little extra money to pay rent that you fell short on, let me know. Friends, but we lost contact for a bit due to life? I don't care how many years it's been, it doesn't change that they're still a friend." Hunter remarked firmly, but not angrily, just to get the point across on how serious he was.

"You need a rescue from the bar because you're drunk, and no one will leave you alone, call me, and I'll show up to act like your boyfriend. You have a bad night at work and want to throttle someone, come over and rant or let it out on the punching bag. Upset and need a shoulder to cry on, or someone to listen, I'm here. In a fight, I have your back. Bored? Come hang out. Horny even, as long as you're male, and I'll gladly remedy that issue." My blush worsened. "My point is that if I'm your friend, then no matter the length of time we've been friends…Everyone gets treated the same. That's just the kind of friend I am. So yes…You matter to me, Tray, and I thought you were in trouble; it scared me not knowing if you were okay or not,"

"I'm sorry. I should have messaged you, despite my mood…A talk later, or something…Just so you wouldn't panic," I sighed.

"It happens, handsome. You were dealing with something big and the emotions overwhelmed you and hurt. As I said, I would have gone looking for you. I could have called our friends to get your address and ended up finding you at your apartment," Hunter smiled gently. "Or made a call to a couple people to check hospitals, 9-1-1 calls for accidents with your car…It's a steep list, honestly. One way or another, I would have located you,"

"You know, I'm slightly curious and afraid to know why you have people who can do all that…" I blinked.

Hunter laughed a bit. "I know a lot of people who owe me favors. I have friends who work on the force, and in the hospital. I also have people who could have hacked your cell phone, remotely turned on the location, and then found you through GPS…" He casually admitted. "You need not worry how or why I have such connections, but rest assured that as your friend, I'm watching out for you,"

I decided not to question it and nodded to what he said. "Kind of comforting, if you don't consider how very stalker-ish it sounds and feels,"

"I can help you consider other feelings to feel…" Hunter suggested with a wink and light squeeze on my hand. I blushed hard. Hunter and I still had to talk, now I realized that because of everything that happened with my brother earlier, I never got around to telling Hunter that I made my choice regarding the whole him helping me get used to things subject. Was it appropriate to mention it now after all the stuff that went down at my parents' house? I said Hunter and I weren't doing anything, and were just friends. But I also openly told Dexter that Hunter wouldn't do anything unless I wanted it. None of them really had to know, and it was my decision, wasn't it? My life was my life, I didn't have to share information about who I was sleeping with. And I was an adult too! "You okay over there?"

"Hm?" I quickly snapped out of my thoughts. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Being here with you is just what I needed," I told him.

"You went all quiet after what I said. I was mostly cracking a joke to make you blush because I find it adorable as hell, but as always with my sexual jokes with friends, the invitation is there too," Hunter chuckled. "If they want it. I wasn't sure what you were taking it as, joke or invite," I was still blushing. "Since you were so deep in thought," He added. "I wondered if you were considering to take the invite, given the conversation earlier…" He paused, looking at me now.

"I took it as you offering…" I confessed.

"Yeah?" Hunter asked calmly with a smile. "And were you thinking about taking the offer?" I hated how good he was at figuring things out based on my responses. My cheeks reddened more as ended up looking down. I felt Hunter's finger touch my cheek and turn my head back towards him, then lift my head by setting his finger under my chin so our eyes would meet. "Did you make your final decision after careful thought to what I asked you?"

"I-I had made it right before everything started with my brother, and was going to message you until all that stuff happened," I replied honestly.

"Well…All that is over now and you're right here with me," Hunter smiled with a hint of curiousness in his green eyes. "Why don't you tell me what you were going to text me? What did you decide you wanted to do?" He invited.

Moment of truth. "I still want you to help me, because you're my friend and I trust you,"