They'd started to run low on money.

that's how this all started.

Gary quietly entered the room, hoping to not grab anyone's attention as he made his way towards his bedroom. Hopefully everyone else was asleep, it WAS pretty late after all. Just a few more steps until he gets to his room and then he can-

"Gary?"

'crap...'

Of course... he just HAD to be awake... "What took you so long? You said you'd only be out an hour or two." Gary sighed in frustration. "I dunno, what are you doing up anyway?" Avocato raised an eyebrow, "I... told you, I was gonna wait until you got back."

'He DID say that didn't he...?'

"Also... why's your helmet still on?"

Gary looked away, "Maybe cause I like it? Welp- I'm goin' to bed night-" he was stopped by his hand being grabbed tightly. "Babe. I know how you act when your nervous, and in cases like this, when your nervous, your hiding something from me." the human was quiet, "Now. Why don't we get this off-" Avocato reached up for it, but Gary stepped back to prevent it. "Babe. Your not hiding it any better by doing that you know... In fact your just doing the opposite." Gary sighed, he was never good at this...

So he gave in and slowly removed his helmet, revealing his face.

-and the black eye.

"Shhhhit... Babe, what the hell happened...?" Gary sighs, "I uh... tripped, and my eye kinda broke the fall onto the ground for me-" sudden contact on his hands made him stop abruptly. He looks down realizing the Ventrexian was holding his hands. "Gary. You make up some pretty bullshit lies, but that had to be your saddest one yet." Gary felt a bit ashamed... it was a pretty bad attempt...

"Come here Babe..." Avocato said as the two neared each other, he raised his hand to the human's face, particularly his swollen eye. "Just let me see it-" Gary hissed in pain the moment he had touched it. Avocato immediately brought his hand away. "Sorry Hun... Let's just get you some ice first, then you can tell me how you got that damn thing..."

"Okay Gare... This ice will probably sting at first cause its so cold, but it'll help." Avocato warned before gently pressing the bag of ice on the human's bruised eye. "Thanks..."

"No problem Babe. It's not too cold is it?" Gary shakes his head, "Okay. Now... What the hell were you doing out so late? I'd imagine it has a connection with this shiner you got here..?" Gary looked away, he had an explanation alright. but he was scared that Avocato would be mad for it...

"Gary... please..? I want t- no. I NEED to know what happened to you tonight. I mean... did..." he paused, making Gary look at him.

"...did someone DO THIS to you...?"

That made Gary look away nervously again. It also made Avocato go cold. "Oh my God... Babe. Someone actually hurt you?!" Avocato bared his fangs in growing anger, "Who... the HELL... DID THIS to you..?!?"

He went silent when he noticed the human's trembling along with quiet sniffles, 'Oh dammit now you've done it.'

"B-Baby..? I'm sorry. I-I just got s-s-so... MAD- I'm sorry I scared you..." Gary finally turned to look at him, his eyes (or well... EYE) were forming small tears. 'Shit...'

"Baby... it's alright. I'm sorry I yelled... it's just... You know I hate whenever something hurts you in any way, right...?" Gary nods slightly, "-and I would do whatever I could to keep it from happening again, yes...?" although hesitant, Gary nods again. "Then... Just know that I only want to keep this from happening to you again. And I won't know WHAT I should be protecting you from if you don't tell me." he gently took the human's (free) hand. "So... can you 'please' tell me what happened...?"

With a shaky sigh, Gary gave in.

"You remember when we were at that planet that had a bunch of minerals the other day?" Avocato nods, looking straight into his eyes listening to each word he said. "Well... There was this... guy. He was looking for a specific one found on that planet only. He was willing to trade for it, so I was gonna get it for him. But..." He paused, inhaling nervously. "There's apparently another mineral that looks pretty much the exact freaking same! And it isn't worth a crap unlike the other one. And uh... guess what I did..." Avocato sighed. "And that guy was really ticked off about me screwing that up, so instead of doing the trade, well... you got the rest."

Avocato began clenching his fist in fury, but he released it, not wanting to upset Gary again. "Babe. Why did you even do this in the first place?"

Silence...

"I know we've been a bit tight on money... I was just trying to help out..." the Ventrexian sighed, "Gare... Hun... You didn't gave go do that. Yes. We're having SOME money problems, but we're already getting it worked out. So you don't have to worry about it Baby." Avocato said softly as he nuzzles the human's hair, also letting a soft purr escape.

Though hesitant, Gary nodded. Finally smiling for the first time (for real) in the past few days.