At about 3.30am, Michael was violently awoken by what he would later describe as the most terrifying and agonising sound he had ever heard.
Running full pelt into the bedroom, he launched himself onto the bed, tentatively reaching out a hand to touch the man laying in it.
Gavin was screaming so hard, Michael was surprised his throat wasn't raw. As soon as he felt Michael's hand on his shoulder, his body seemed to go into spasm, limbs thrashing so wildly that Michael had to dodge a few times and step back to avoid getting punched or kicked.
'Gavin!' Michael whimpered, eyes wide, unsure of what to do. He could hear his neighbours banging on the walls, but he didn't care. His attention was taken by the sight of his best friend clearly trapped in a truly horrific nightmare. He was unsure of how to proceed in this situation. Hadn't he read something about not waking up people in nightmares? Or was that sleep walkers? He couldn't remember, and had to fight to keep from panicking himself. After a few agonising minutes, it became clear to Michael that Gavin wasn't about to calm down on his own anytime soon, so he had to take the chance and wake him up.
He carefully made his way back to the bed, holding down Gavin's arms. This only seemed to exacerbate the dream as Gavin proceeded to scream at him to stop, to let him go, giving Michael a pretty good idea what it was about, but he had no choice. He crouched over his friend, holding his arms, begging him to wake up, please wake up. He didnt even realise he was crying until he saw tears drip down onto Gavin's face. He moved his hands up to grip Gavin's shoulders, shaking him, desperate to stop the man's ongoing screams, to stop his pain.
Eventually he saw Gavin open his eyes, and the screaming subsided. Relief flooded through him.
'Oh god, oh thank god, thank god!' His head slumped so it was buried into Gavin's shoulder.
Just as he realised that the way his body was currently pressed against his friends was almost certainly not going to help the situation, he felt Gavin's arms wrap around his neck, hands clutching his hair. Michael returned the gesture, holding Gavin securely as the boy sobbed into his neck.
Once the tears had subsided, the boys found themselves simply lying in each other's arms for an hour or so.
'I'm remembering stuff Michael. About the night I was...raped. I remember more stuff now.'
Michael didn't even think of attempting to broche the subject of the nightmare, so to say he was surprised at Gavin bringing it up was an understatement.
'Okay Gav.' Michael ventured cautiously. 'Do you wanna talk about it? We don't have to, but if you think it'd help, I'm here for you boi.' He gave the lad a small squeeze on the shoulder.
'I...I think I do. Because my brain has got it all minged up, Michael. Instead of the...the bloke who did it...all I can picture is...Geoff.' the Brit explained in a small voice.
Michael nodded. 'Well, why don't you tell me what you can remember?'
Gavin nodded in response, and took a deep breath.
***
'Look, you see, I've set it all up for us, buddy. We're gonna have a fun old time, you and I. Aren't I just tippy toppers?' The man with Geoff's face ushered (pushed) Gavin into the bedroom.
He looked around in horror. There were chains hanging from the ceiling, whips and ropes strewn around the room, almost artistically. Cameras –both video and digital- were set up around the area around the bed, as if to capture every possible angle of the duvet. Gavin shivered. He was pretty sure that it wasn't the duvet that Geoff intended to document in such great detail.
His fears were immediately confirmed as he was lead (dragged) him to the bed via the rope that was still fixing his hands behind his back.
He was pushed onto the bed, face up, as Geoff straddled his hips, and attacked his lips with his teeth. Before he was even aware that they had been untied, his wrists were attached to the headboard with handcuffs, and Geoff had shuffled down, and was now positioned in between his unwillingly spread legs. Gavin failed to bite back a moan as he felt a hot tongue lick a strip up his still clothed dick. Geoff grinned up at him wickedly, slipping a hand up the leg of Gavin's boxers, a lubed finger teasing round his hole. Tears sprang to his eyes as he felt the digit enter him, shortly joined by another one, working together to create a scissoring action inside of him.
His underwear was being slipped off of his body, and he struggled to keep them on, bringing his legs up as much as he could. He heard a grunt from Geoff as his knee collided with the man's side, and he silently cheered his small victory when he slid off of him.
It was a short lived celebration however, when the man re-entered his field of vision, this time also naked, and once again mounted him. Gavin yelped and bucked in protest, but stilled in fear when he felt a finger press to his lips.
'Hush, baby boy, hush. The night is young, and we have fuckin' all of it to play with. I intend to make this last as long as possible, so don't you worry.' Geoff petted his hair. 'Daddy's got you Gavvy, I'm here, and I'm gonna make it good for you, as long as you make it good for me.'
Gavin whimpered as Geoff forced his mouth to open, and shoved his tongue down his throat, before re-taking his position at Gavin's groin.
He couldn't stop the tears falling as his boxers were completely removed, and the man replaced his fingers, adding a third and stretching the lad. When the fingers found his prostrate, Gavin's body completely betrayed him. His cock hardened, and he couldn't help but arch his back and hiss, pushing himself down on the intruding fingers in spite of himself.
'See baby? I can't make it good. I knew you wanted this Gavvy, I know you better than anyone.'
Gavin couldn't help but watch at Geoff's lips made their way down to wrap around his cock, as he sobbed from the pleasure and confusing circling in his head.
***
By the end of recounting what he remembered, Gavin was sobbing in Michaels arms again, this time the pair sitting up; Michael leaning against the headboard, and Gavin in his lap.
'You know it's not your fault, right Gav? The way your body...reacted. It happens, its natural. It absolutely does not mean you wanted any of it! You know that, right?' Michael asked anxiously, playing with Gavin's hair.
There was a short pause before he felt him nod against his chest.
'Good. Cause its true.'
Gavin whimpered and snuggled into his chest more, hiccupping in his attempt to stop crying.
'Do you wanna go back to sleep?' a pause and then another nod.
'Do you want me to go?' Gavin violently shakes his head, burying his face deeper into Michael's shirt.
'shhh, it's okay Gav, I won't leave if you don't want me to.'
They shift in the bed, so Michael is still sat up, but Gavin is beside him, head on the pillow, back pressed against Michael's leg. Michael intended to wait til he drops off, and then go back to his camp bed, but it appears that Gavin had other ideas.
'Gav, you asleep?'
Silence.
Michael smiles, and gently pets the sleeping mans hair, preparing to gently leave the bed, when Gavin rolls over and latches onto him, head resting in his lap, pinning him to where he sat.
Michael freezes, waiting for Gavin to move again. When he doesn't, and in fact actually starts snoring, Michael realises he has three options.
1. Wake Gavin up and get him to let go – well, he really didn't want to do that, seeing how peaceful the lad finally looked, plus it would probably make him think he had done something wrong.
2. Try to gently prise him away, without waking him up – he didn't really want to try that one either, as this could have the same outcome as option 1.
So that just left option 3. Stay exactly where he was, and let Gavin sleep on him.
Michael sighed, and settled down as much as he could, for what he was sure was going to be the worst night sleep he had ever had.
It wasn't til almost 10am when Gavin eventually awoke from the longest and most satisfying sleep he could remember having in a long time. Still lying on his side, with not yet opened eyes, he stretched his limbs, arching his back like a cat, before wrapping his arms around the body next to him, and burrowing deeper under the covers.
Hold on...
Gavin cracked open one eye.
Michael was sat on the bed still, back resting against the wooden headboard, head bowed forward so far that his chin was resting on his chest. Gavin was clutching onto his side, with both his legs wrapped round one of Michaels.
Mortified, Gavin set about carefully untangling his various limbs from Michael's body. At least, he tried to be careful about it. He discovered that he was in fact closer to the edge of the bed than he had realised, when whilst trying to pull his arm out from behind Michael's back, he leaned backwards a bit too far, and with a patented Gavin squawk, tumbled over the edge of the bed, wrenching his arm from where it was trapped in the process, but also landing an accidental kick directly into Michaels ribs.
'MOTHER FUCKER!' Michael gasped, clutching his chest 'WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO YOU IDIOT!?'
Gavin peeked over the edge of the bed from where he sat in a heap on the floor.
'I'm sorry Micool! I woke up and I was hugging you, and you looked uncomfortable, and I didn't know how you would react cuz I was hugging you like an octopus, and my arm was trapped Micool! I just didn't wanna wake you...'
'Well, you certainly fuckin' woke me' Michael grunted, rolling his stiff shoulders and rubbing his aching neck. 'And I know you were fucking wrapped around me; you fell asleep like that, asshole, so I had to stay there all night. Man my neck kills!'
Gavin blushed, looking ashamed. 'I...I'm sorry Michael. I didn't mean it. You were just so cuddly and warm. I felt...safe...' he trailed off, looking at the floor.
Michael sighed.
'I'm not mad at you Gavin, I just didn't get a great nights sleep, that's all bud. I'm glad you slept well though. Hey, I'm happy to have helped at all!' Michael grinned, though Gavin could clearly see how tired the Jersey Boy was. He was still massaging his neck, and had dark circles under his eyes.
Seeing how Michael was trying to make everything okay for him, suddenly had Gavin feeling overwhelmed.
With no warning, he jumped up onto the bed and threw his arms around Michael's neck, bawling into his shoulder. Without even thinking about it, Michael's arms come up to envelope the lad, one hand burying itself in his hair, stroking comfortingly on the back of his head. He couldn't help but notice how incredibly soft it felt between his fingers, and with each movement, wafts of spicy smelling shampoo hit his nostrils.
Its only a few moments this time before Gavin pulls away, looking at Michael sheepishly from where he sat cross legged on the bed.
'Um, sorry. Dunno what came over me really' he scratched his head self consciously 'I guess I've just been super emotional lately, and you've been so bloody lovely to me... so, erm, thanks, I guess I'm tryin'a say.'
Michael watches him wipe tear tracks from his cheeks, and is suddenly struck by how small Gavin suddenly seems; how childlike and innocent, in his boxers and Michaels over sized shirt (which was strange, because Michael could've sworn he had gotten changed into the pyjamas Griffon had brought over last night).
'Hey, don't worry about it Gavvers. I told you before; anything you need, I'm here for ya, squirt.' He leant forward and ruffled his hair, as one would when reassuring a child.
He was rewarded with a small, albeit watery smile.
'Now waddaya say about getting some breakfast on the go? I fancy some MOTHER FUCKIN' PANCAAAAAKES!' he punched the air, cheering inside when Gavin squeaked with laughter at his over excitement.
They had a lazy day, Michael deciding to procrastinate on the editing he had scheduled to do that day, and insisting that Gavin do the same.
Instead, the pair raided Michaels snack cupboard, forgoing proper meals, and binging on soda, potato chips and cookies, with strawberry ice-cream for 'dessert' as they made their way through the entire 2 seasons of 'Scooby Doo; Mystery Incorporated'.
Once again, it was Michael who insisted on enforcing bedtime.
As he prepared to set up the camp bed again, he noticed Gavin hovering nervously by the door to the room.
'Wassup Gavvers? Need help with summin'?' Michael slurred. Having not slept very well at all the previous night, he was all but ready to keel over in exhaustion.
'Um, no, its just...I...I was.'
'Spit it out Gav, I wanna go to sleeeeeep' Michael wined teasingly
'Will you stay in the bed with me?' Gavin blurted out.
Michael blinked at him.
'I mean, I know nothing is gonna...get me. But I just want...just in case...y'know?' Gavin faultered, blushing furiously.
Michael nodded at him, grabbing his pillow before taking the other man's hand and leading him to the bedroom.
'Baggsie right side.' Michael mumbled, collapsing onto said section of the bed, leaving Gavin to clamber over him happily, before snuggling down beside him.
'Night night, my little Micool' he whispered, smiling softly in the semi-darkness.
'Night Gav.' Came the soft grunt in reply.
There was silence for a couple of minutes before;
'Micool?'
Silence.
Gavin opened his eyes and saw that Michael had already fallen asleep beside him. Sighing contently, Gavin snuggled closer towards him, noticing the small sleepy smile spread over Michael's face as the unconscious man shift his arm in his sleep to draw Gavin towards him in order to hold him closer to his body.
Gavin sighed again, positively beaming. He settled down in Michael's arms, not being able to recall a time where he felt as comfortable and protected as this. He briefly wondered how Michael would react should he awaken in the morning to find them in this position, before drifting off into nightmare-free slumber.