For an entire week, Gavin refused to leave the house, see, or even speak to anyone but Michael -the only exception being when the red-head took him to the Police station to make his formal statement.
Not even Ryan had been unable to gain an audience with the lad, although he had been round many times after work to try; only managing a brief conversation with him through the closed bedroom door. It wasn't that Gavin didn't trust him. Entirely the opposite in fact; aside from Michael, Ryan was the only other person in the world right now that he did trust! And that was why he was terrified to see him.
He had once trusted Geoff more than he had ever trusted anyone, and now his own stupid brain had warped that trust into something foul and evil, to the extent where even thinking about seeing him turned his stomach. He absolutely could NOT let that happen with Ryan too.
So Gavin had spent the week alternating between locking himself and Michael in the bedroom and sobbing in his friends arms as memories mingled with nightmares and assaulted his mind, or walking around the apartment in a daze, unable to focus on anything at all.

Today, however, they sat curled around each other on the couch, laughing hysterically, a laptop balanced precariously on Michael's leg.
Ray had come up with an idea of how to get Gavin's mind to recognise Geoff as 'friend' rather than 'threat', and had texted Michael immediately. The plan was for Gavin to watch Lets Plays and Lets Builds featuring himself and Geoff, in the hope that reliving the banter, familiarity and laughter the two shared in videos would trigger a positive reaction the next time they came face to face. And so far, Michael observed, it seemed to be working.
'Kudos to Ray!' he thought, slyly sneaking a peek at Gavin.
He was completely engrossed in the current video they had put on -one of the earlier and most popular Minecraft Lets Plays- laughing every time Geoff and the others chided or groaned at his past (and very drunk) self. Michael couldn't stop the beaming, fond smile that spread across his face as Gavin giggled beside him, his head resting on Michael's shoulder. He sat up suddenly as scuffles and yelps could be heard on the audio, accompanied by a helpful note that explained that on-screen Michael had jumped up and tackled Gavin to the ground.
He turned to face Michael, rubbing his arm, screwing his face up in mock pain.
'I remember that! That bloody hurt y'know Micool! Didn't stop me getting the achievement though did it, ya pleb- Michael?' Gavin stared at the grin on Michael's face 'Wh-why are you looking at me like that?'
Michael positively beamed at him. 'It's just...it's so good to hear you laugh, Gavvy. Best sound in the world; I love hearing it- I mean...yeah.' His smiled faltered, and he looked back down at the laptop, blushing furiously. 'I just meant it's good to see you happy again.'
Gavin stared at him for a few seconds, before hesitantly leaning in and brushing his lips against Michael's cheek.
Confused, Michael looked back up at him. Gavin's face was pink, and he was squirming slightly.
'Um. Thanks, boi. I appreciate everything you're doin' f'me, y'know that yeah? Helping me with the Geoff thing and stuff. Just. Yeah. Appreciate it. Cheers.'
They sat in an awkward silence, neither quite looking at the other, both choosing instead to focus on the screen.
It took them longer than they would like to admit to actually realise that the video had finished several minutes beforehand, but neither wanted to be first to break the silence.
Eventually, Michael coughed, and spoke
'Guess we should pick another video, huh?'
'Yeah, guess so.' Gavin giggled nervously, still pink in the face.
Michael selected from the suggested videos at random, hoping it would be a funny one- or at least one they could talk about. Anything to break the awkward atmosphere that had settled over them.
The appearance of Gavin's fucking weird face on a soldier informed him that it was Rainbow 6: Vegas, part 2. Excellent! He hadn't seen it in a while, but from what Michael could remember from the last time he had watched it, it was fucking hilarious!
He snorted when Gavin's character ran across the screen, somehow managing to avoid being shot.
'I swear to fucking god Gavin, I will never get over that fucking face dude!'
He silently rejoiced as Gavin cackled along with him, and he felt the lad slide comfortably back down to rest his head on his shoulder again.
They settled against each other, sniggering whenever Gavin's character appeared.
Michael felt a hand shyly snake over his leg, and looked down to see Gavin's fingers entwine with his own.
He could sense Gavin eyeing him cautiously, assessing his reaction.
Without even really thinking about it, he squeezed the others hand reassuringly, lightly running his thumb over Gavin's.
He determined he had done the right thing when the Brit sighed contentedly and snuggled closer into his side.
Both their gazes were firmly concentrated on the laptop, but they were wearing identical, blissful grins.
They watched the video in a much more comfortable atmosphere; chatting and snickering at the antics on screen. Gavin felt completely relaxed for the first time in over a week. He smiled up at Michael as he commented on something dumb one of them had done in the game. Recently, he had begun to see his friend in an entirely new light, and at first this had terrified him. Not that Michael was a dude; Gavin had had the odd boyfriend and male hook-ups before, although it was rare, and Michael was (within the company) openly gay. No, what bothered him was that he couldn't tell if what he was feeling towards Michael was real or not. Michael had been so lovely to him since the attack; Gavin was afraid that what he had begun to feel for him was simply him latching onto the main source of the little happiness he was experiencing lately, and warping it into a twisted form of love.
Not to mention how emotionally broken he had felt since the attack. He actually doubted his ability to ever fully heal to the extent where he could let someone be close enough to fall in love with him. Not to mention that the thought of ever being intimate with anyone again was completely abhorrent to him right now.
And if he did, it would surely have to be someone who didn't know what he had been through. He internally scoffed. Of course. The attack had left him dirty. Defiled. Damaged. Michael wouldn't want him now anyway; no one would, he thought to himself, bitterly. He had only taken him in out of pity, or perhaps a sense of duty, seeing as they were best friends. Or even guilt, he thought with a jolt. He frowned, thinking it over.
Yes, it had been Michael he had been out with that night, and Michael had decided to leave early to make sure a very drunk Lindsay got home safely. Gavin had insisted on staying though, assuring Michael that he was quite capable of looking after himself, and he was only gonna have a few more before calling a taxi. Yeah, he had clearly been bloody capable of looking after himself, he thought darkly. Michael must feel guilty; like he should have tried harder to convince him to leave with them. That's why he took him in.

A bark of laughter jolted Gav out of his musing, and he realised he had totally spaced out, and had missed about 5 minutes of the video they were only watching for his benefit.
Guiltily, he forced himself to focus on the Lets Play once more.

He'd picked a bad time to resurface from his thoughts.

'GAH! Don't spawn in front of me like that; you almost got your fucking asshole ripped apart!'

Both lads froze as Geoff's voice blared out from the speakers.
Michael immediately paused the video, placing the laptop carelessly on the floor and turning to Gavin to hopefully prevent him reacting badly to the words.
He wasn't quick enough.

'Mmmmm, I'm gonna rip your asshole apart, Baby Boy. Gonna fuck you so hard you'll think about it every time you sit down for weeks! You'll remember who you belong to, wont you? Go on; say it for me, Baby. Who do you belong to? Who owns this sweet little ass?'
'Please...please, stop! Don't do this, please!'
The man with Geoff's face tightens his grip on Gavin's hair, causing the young man to yelp in pain as some are ripped out by the root.
'I asked you a question, Gavin! I told you, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. The easy way will feel much better for you, I promise. Now. Who do you belong to?'
'YOU! I belong to you! Now please, please let me go. I want to go home, please, please!'Gavin begged futilely, tears pouring down his cheeks and blurring his vision.
He sobbed openly as the man's fingers curled upwards, expertly locating and stroking his prostate.
He squeezed his eyes tightly shut as Geoff's fingers worked inside of him, caressing the little bundle of nerves in a sinisterly tender fashion.
'Doesn't that feel good, my little Creeper Boy? See, Daddy knows what you like. Let Daddy take care of you, Baby. I can tell it feels good; look how big your cock is. Look how it aches to be touched, how it leaks for me.'
The hand untangles from his hair, and moves down to ghost teasingly over his unwanted erection, causing him to whimper; opening his eyes and unwillingly bucking into the touch.
'Mmmmm, you are an eager one today. Okay, I'll relent. Daddy won't make his Baby Boy wait any longer.'
Geoff grinned at him with the air of one granting a huge treat.
Gavin sobbed a sigh of relief as, after planting a kiss almost lovingly on his forehead, Geoff sat back on his haunches, moving himself off of Gavin.
His relief was fleeting however, as he heard the unmistakable sound of foil being torn. He didn't have to be a genius to know what was happening; he knew it had been leading here, but he had blotted it out; thought that just maybe, if he didn't think about it, the older man would just leave him alone.
Geoff was back, rolling a condom onto his cock, sweat glistening unpleasantly on his arms and chest, covering him in a thin film of sickly moisture.
He placed himself over Gavin once more, leaning in as if to whisper sweet nothings into the lad's ear.
Gavin knew that if there was any chance of preventing this happening, he had to act NOW.
Violently, he threw his head forward with as much force as he could muster, catching Geoff square in the jaw and causing him to jump back, yelling and cursing in pain and shock.
Whilst Geoff was still reeling from the blow, Gavin leapt up and legged it towards the exit, stumbling a little in his haste.
'Get back here you little bitch!'
He hadn't even made it halfway to the door when he was grabbed by the waist and lifted off the ground. Kicking and shouting, he fought with all his might, but Geoff was carrying him back towards the bed, seemingly unaffected by his efforts.
Effortlessly, he was thrown back down onto the bed. He struggled as much as he could, but a cloth was tied around his mouth, gagging him; muffling his screams, as Geoff pinned him down, seething in anger. A sharp slap around his face caused him to halt his struggles as Geoff forcefully back-handed him.
'I told you we could do this the easy way or the hard way. I could have made this good for you, Gavin. I was trying so hard. Why didn't you just listen to me? Why did you have to make this difficult for me? Well, now you'll see what happens to little bitches who don't do as they're told.' The tattooed man hissed at him, face contorted in rage.
He flipped Gavin over so his face was buried in the mattress, pinning him there by pressing a knee into the small of his back as he slicked up his cock.
Gavin could feel the knee being replaced with the man's hands and, feeling his cock lining up with his abused hole, tried desperately to relax his muscles for what he knew was coming.
It didn't help, and a howl of pain tore out through his gag as Geoff's cock plunged into him, burying itself fully inside his anus.
Geoff groaned delightedly. 'Ohhh, you're so TIGHT, Baby Boy! So deliciously tight for Daddy.'
He was barely given any time to adjust before Geoff started moving; ruthlessly and mercilessly pounding into him, every other thrust causing the head of the invading penis bump against his prostate; the pain and pleasure making him feel like he was being torn in two from the arse up.
He felt ashamed and disgusted him himself as one of Geoff's hands worked its way round his hips to grasp his own traitorously hard shaft.
He determinedly bit back a moan as the hand pumped his cock, pulling back the foreskin so a thumb could tease the sensitive head.
'See how good I am to you? You've upset me, but I'm still making it good for you Gavvy.'
Gavin whimpered again, hating the shiver of arousal that ran through him, and the familiar heat pooling in his stomach.
'Are you gonna cum for me, Gav? Mmmmm, you've gotten all tight around my cock. Go on; cum for me. Cum for Daddy. I'm not far behind you, Baby.'
Gavin sobbed as he spilled over the hand still working his cock, cringing as he felt the man inside him shiver and increase the pace of his thrusting, before letting out a guttural moan as he too came, biting into Gavin's shoulder.
The hand that had been holding his hip came up to caress his face.
'See Gavin? See how much I love you? You're such a good boy, cumming when Daddy told you.' He felt a kiss being planted on his cheek 'You rest now, Baby Boy. Get your strength for later.'
'L-later?'
'Of course, Gavvy. We have all night to play, remember?'

'Gavin, GAVIN! Please come back to me, please Gavin! Its ok, I promise you its ok buddy, please? Please come back to me!'
Michael was on his knees in front of him, and Gavin could see that he was trying desperately to keep calm.
'M'okay, Michael. I'm okay.'
Relief flooded the Jersey boys face as he stared searchingly into his friends no longer wide and petrified eyes.
'You sure Gav? Is there anything I can do? God that was terrifying; you didn't hyperventilate. You didn't move at all! You just sort of...tensed up and froze! I didn't know what to do! I called Ryan; he'll be here soon. I'm sorry Gav, I'm so fuckin' sorry. I should have checked the video or something, I don't fucking know. Watched a bunch first to make sure they were ok. God I am so fucking sorry!'
Michael looked on the verge of tears.
'its okay, Michael. You've done so much for me. You've been amazing, honestly. It's not your fault my brain isn't working right anymore.'
'Is there anything I can do? Anything I can get you?' Michael enquired desperately.
Gavin shook his head. 'I just wanna sleep now to be honest.'
'Ok buddy. You go on, I'll just get some water and I'll be there in a bit.' He pulled the Brit into a hug, burying his face into his shoulder.
They sat holding each other, until Gavin eventually gently pushed Michael off, and made his way to bed.
Wiping his eyes, Michael fired off a text to Ryan, hoping the man hadn't left home yet.
' he is ok now. Dont need to com ovr hes in bed now. sorry for disturbing you i just didnt no what to do'
He fetched a glass of water, checking his phone for the reply before he joined Gavin.
'It's ok, I hadn't quite left yet. Don't feel bad about texting me, you can contact me whenever you or Gavin need to, ok? Give Gavin my best, goodnight. And Michael, I think you should come into work tomorrow. Just you. We all need to talk.'