Gabriel

Will was really, really drunk.

Slurring, falling, giggling and toppling drunk.

“We’re almost there, come on.” Gabriel tugged on his hand. Will was trying to lead them into the park. It was the dead of night, and Gabriel certainly wasn’t going to bring them for a jaunt in an unlit area. This wasn’t like Will’s home town where you could take a nap in the field and nobody would ever find you. Dublin city, you keep to the lights, and you keep indoors at night.

“Volleyball.” Will protested.

“Tomorrow, I promise.” Gabriel caught him by the waist. He hoped the taxi driver hadn’t stuck around to witness Gabriel man-handling Will into the building. Finally, after much effort, Will was safely in the apartment and Gabriel locked the door. “Let’s get you some water.”

Will was already in the kitchen, looting the fridge. Gabriel tossed his keys onto the counter. “Want me to cook you something?” He offered. Gabriel had a good bit to drink, and Cassie’s unfortunately idea to play kings had taken a toll on his sobriety, but having to be careful with Will had sobered him up a good bit. Maybe not enough to be using the cooker though.

“How about take-away?” Gabriel suggested, when Will looked dispirited by what he found in the fridge.

“I dunno what I want.” Will took the glass of water Gabriel offered him. “What about you? You told me before you get hungry when you drink. What do you usually get?”

“Chinese.”

“Let’s do that.” Will downed the water as if it were another shot of Aftershock, and put the glass aside. He wobbled into Gabriel who got the menu up on his phone. “I like… egg fried rice. Chicken curry. Chips. Chinese white weird Styrofoam things.”

Gabriel smiled. “They’re called shrimp chips.”

“And I want beef noodles. And prawns. Anything with prawns.” Will wrapped his arms around Gabriel, laying his head on his shoulder. “And I want the ribs, and spring rolls. Oh, duck spring rolls, that sounds amazing. Those as well.”

“Okay. Pick your two favourite options from everything you just named.” Gabriel requested.

“All of them.”

“All of them is enough to feed ten people. Pick two.”

Will groaned. “You’re the worst boyfriend ever.”

Gabriel let out an amused breath. “I’ll get the shrimp chips, and rice as a side, okay? We’ll split the two mains.”

“If I get two mains, and you get two mains, then there’s enough for everything.”

Gabriel put his phone down, and turned to Will. Arms draped over his shoulders, luring him in. Will was grinning.

“How about, chicken and beef curry, with the ribs?” Gabriel suggested.

“And then for my two, prawn noddles and duck spring rolls?”

Gabriel was honestly surprised Will could remember the list he’d shot off at the start.

“I’m craving everything.” Will added.

Gabriel looked down at him, resisting the kiss Will was beckoning him into. He was having fun with Gabriel, but was there an undertone of seriousness in the request? “Do you actually want all of that? Because there’s no way we can finish it.”

“Please?” Will asked. “We can keep the rest as leftovers for the week.”

Gabriel gave in, to the brief kiss that tasted like beer, and then the food order.

“I’ll get Netflix set up.” Will told him.

Gabriel got the expected delivery time, and realised just how late it actually was. This might be an all-nighter. He half expected Will to be passed out when he got into the living room, but instead found all the blankets from the guest bedroom on the big couch.

“I saved you a seat.” Will pointed at the floor.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at Will, who was snickering even before Gabriel grappled with him once more, this time to get him underneath him on the couch. Even when he lost the battle—it wasn’t a fair fight when Will couldn’t barely keep upright with help—Will was laughing. “Babe, babe, what’s gotten into you?”

“You are ridiculous.” Gabriel told him, but really he couldn’t help but smile too.

Will squirmed his arms free from the blankets, wrapped them around Gabriel’s shoulders, and tugged him down. Gabriel didn’t bend to him, and raised an eyebrow instead. “You expect a kiss after telling me to sit on the floor?”

“Yes?”

“You’re not getting one.” Gabriel told him.

Will stared up at Gabriel, and some sobriety crept into his blue eyes. “Gabriel…” Will stopped trying to pull him down, and instead slipped his hands over Gabriel’s chest. And then Will rose up to Gabriel, placing soft kisses against his throat. Will slipped his fingers through the buttons on Gabriel’s shirt, lightly touching his abdomen. As he teased, Will was trying to free himself from the blankets. Gabriel grinned to himself.

Will collapsed back down, apparently exhausted. “I wish you’d kiss me.” He said.

“You wanted to watch Netflix.” Gabriel reminded him.

Will opened his mouth, maybe to make another cute statement and make himself utterly irresistible, but instead he smiled, a cheeky expression flitting across his face. “You’re right. I do want to watch Netflix.” He had enough room to roll and face the tv, and ignore Gabriel.

“A shame you can’t reach the remote and press play.” Gabriel observed.

Will did try, but all Gabriel had to do was push down on the blankets, and Will was trapped. He grunted.

“Babe…” Will tried again. The fact that he was saying ‘babe’ was testament to how much he’d had to drink.

“You kind of look like a worm.”

Will laughed. “Gabriel—come on!”

Gabriel liked the sound of that laugh very much. He lightly touched Will’s lips. “I like this,” he said.

“Of course, because you get the power.” Will grumbled. “I’d enjoy having you pinned down.”

“Coming home, I mean. With you.” Gabriel traced Will’s small smile. “It feels good.”

Will kissed his finger tips. “Yeah.” He agreed.

Gabriel stared at Will, his chest aching. He knew he should keep his trap shut, and they were both drunk, and Will already told him no, but this felt so right, and surely Will had to feel the same way too? “I wish you’d move in.”

“Me too.” Will sighed.

Gabriel’s gaze jumped to Will’s eyes. “Why not? Move in.” When he saw the reluctance flitting across Will’s face, he ducked his head down, pressing a messy kiss where Will’s neck met his shoulder.

Gabriel hadn’t had someone to come home to since he was sixteen. He’d had a glimmer of home with his sister, and his niece Sarah. But he couldn’t stay in their family forever, not with her husband and another baby on the way. It was too crowded. Plus, it was her family, not really his. Will felt like someone he could come home to. He was someone Gabriel wanted to come home to. Gabriel wanted it so badly he didn’t know what to do with himself. He was terrified of scaring Will off.

It was Will, and he wasn’t like anyone else. But he was also an eighteen year old who’d just started college. Who wouldn’t be terrified of their boyfriend springing something so long term on them? Gabriel swallowed down his feelings, and pressed a softer kiss to Will’s throat.

“What are we watching?” His voice came out husky.

He moved between Will and the couch, and draped the blankets over both of them. Will promptly rolled to face him. He shuffled against Gabriel’s chest, wrapping his arms around his waist.

“I’m meant to be independent.” Will murmured.

“I know.”

“I’d rather live here.”

Gabriel swallowed again, the feelings rushing up. He wanted to push. To be selfish, and seize what he wanted. He’d lived like that for such a long time he could envision perfectly what he could say to Will to convince him to move in. And he probably wouldn’t even feel bad about it either. How could he? If he ended up with Will, what did it matter how he got there?

Stop. Stop thinking like this. Gabriel grit his teeth.

“Can I keep you?” Will asked.

Will was still drunk. He’d probably agree even easier drunk.

“Forever,” Gabriel replied.

Will let out an amused breath. “That sounds good to me.”

Gabriel’s phone started ringing, which meant the takeaway was probably outside. “Food’s here.”

Gabriel took his time getting the food order, and cleared his head with the cool night air. When he went back to Will he was calmer. Will was draped out on the couch, stretching his arms above his head, eyes set on the TV. The covers were half-tangled around his bare legs. Since Gabriel had been gone, Will had stripped down to his boxers. Gabriel had a feeling Will was going to torment and tease him until he passed out.

“Food’s here.” Gabriel pulled the coffee table up to to them, and took out all the boxes. Ten in total. Will plopped himself up, and got to work.

Gabriel had never seen Will eat so much before. He just kept going, and going, making Gabriel wonder how often such an appetite was repressed by Will on a daily basis.

“Cassie was texting.”

“Yeah?” Gabriel hadn’t had the chance to prepare for Cassie and Dune’s sudden appearance. They’d been thrown at him right after his Uncle had surprised him. Going from his Uncle’s teasing to his old students had been… jarring. He made sure not to let that on, though Dune’s careful gaze seemed to be relaying judgement. He didn’t like their relationship. Gabriel figured out that much tonight. Cassie was a much more pleasant addition to the group, though Will spent the rest of the night with her tucked against his side. Charlie was giving him looks. Gabriel knew there was nothing to it.

“Finally done?” Gabriel asked. Will put down his cutlery, and nodded.

“I feel much better now.” Will reported. His voice, amazingly, was filled with energy.

“Tired?”

“I kind of want to dance.” Will answered. He grinned at Gabriel. “We should go back to that class again, it was fun.”

“I’m up for that. You were good at it.”

“Your uncle said he’d show me how to box.”

Gabriel twitched. “He what?”

Will sank back into the couch, and pulled the covers up around himself. “He was telling me all about the boxing scene around here.”

Gabriel made a mental note to knock his uncle upside the head when he saw him next. No way no how could Gabriel stand to watch someone throwing punches in Will’s direction.

“I’m too small for it, I reckon.” Will continued, unaware of Gabriel’s aggravation. “Fitness wise, I’d have no problem. And I’m strong too, but I don’t have the build for it.” He touched Gabriel’s shoulders, exploring the broad length. “I don’t have this.”

The gym was part of Gabriel’s daily routine, but nothing compared to the amount of time Will spent exercising. But it was true that if it came to boxing, Will’s physique was too slight to contend with a heavy weight. Gabriel scanned Will’s shoulders. “You’ve gotten bigger.” Gabriel realised.

“I’m eating.” Will answered. “There’s something in me to turn into muscle now.”

Gabriel met Will’s gaze, took him in, still relaxed, still at ease. He held Will’s hand.

“How is Volleyball going?”

Will’s face lit up. “Good.”

“Just ‘good’?”

Will shrugged, looking bashful. “I can’t wait for matches.”

Will

Wouldn’t it be easier to just move in?