TW: this episode contains homophobic slurs and violence

“Don’t tell me you’re a lightweight, Gray.” Zack joked, pouring me yet another drink. I wasn’t necessarily a lightweight but Evelyn and I had drunk a lot already I just couldn’t anymore. Zack said that if I could last longer than him he’d leave me alone. Trust me, I tried to leave before but he just sat me back down. By this point, I felt sick and had my head resting on the table. “Not drinking anymore?” Zack questioned.

“I- I can’t anymore,” I slurred.

“Hm, you hear that Griff? Guess I won. Oh well, let’s go, Gray.” Zack stood up from his seat and grabbed my arm roughly bringing me to my feet. All I could reply was a drowsy “huh?” before they dragged me out of the restaurant. This is it. This is how I’ll die. I won’t even get a single free lunch from Evelyn, that moron, leaving me alone to fend for myself. 

I was barely aware of where they were taking me I knew I was in danger but I had no idea what to expect. One of them eventually shoved me against the wall by my shoulder and punched me in the stomach making me feel even sicker. I doubled over clenching my stomach and threw up. Someone grabbed my shirt collar and pinned me back on the wall roughly. “Fucking, fag! Do you have any idea how much these shoes cost?” Zack yelled in my face pulling back his fist to hit me. I clenched my eyes shut and readied myself for it but it never came. Zack’s hand released me and I slid to the ground. “What the fuck Damien?”

“Knock it off, Zack. You’re a grown adult. What are you doing beating on a guy half your size for no reason?” A familiar husky voice spoke.

“He’s a faggot. What’re you doing being all protective of him, huh? You his boyfriend now,” Zack scoffed.

“Grow up, Zack.” 

“We’re just joking around is all. Right, Gray?” Zack said all eyes were now on me. I sobered up at this point. I was now shaking uncontrollably, holding my knees to my chest. I could feel tears brimming in my eyes. It felt just like high school all over again. I felt weak and helpless. I was on the verge of a panic attack seeing all three of them here like this. My mind couldn’t focus on anything else and I couldn’t bring myself to answer Zack.

“He doesn’t look like he’s having fun,” Damien pointed out the obvious. Zack just scoffed in response.

“Come on, Zack let’s just go. I don’t want to spend the rest of my Friday night in an alleyway,” Griffin spoke up.

“Whatever,” Zack said, storming off like a toddler who was just sent to timeout. If it wasn’t for the situation I was in I would have laughed. Griffin followed after him leaving me and Damien alone. It was silent for a while except for my ragged breaths and occasionally cars honking. Damien finally spoke up.

“Hey,” he paused, “Gray.”

I didn’t say anything, much less look at him.

He held out his hand to me and I flinched away from it. He sighed and hesitated a bit before walking away. He wasn’t gone long though. During that time I was able to calm myself down a bit and moved to sit on the curb in front of the restaurant. Damien came back unexpectedly and held out a water bottle to me. I just stared at it for a few seconds and then looked at him.

“Why?” I asked.

Damien gave me an incredulous look, “you drank a lot and threw up on Zack’s shoe. I’d assume you’d want some water after that?” 

I turned crimson red and grabbed the bottle out of his hand muttering a quick thanks. “That’s not what I meant though.”

Damien quirked his eyebrow at me, sitting down on the curb next to me.

“Why’d you save me?” 

“I didn’t save you. Zack’s behavior just pissed me off. I figured someone had to put him in his place.” Damien shrugged.

“Oh.”

A heavy silence fell over us. I was stuck in my mind. Why isn’t he leaving already? He could have just left after dealing with Zack. Why did he bring me the water? I asked myself, clenching the bottle in my hands. I couldn’t read him at all. 

“Do you…” Damien interrupted my thoughts. I looked over at him, waiting for what he was going to ask. He hesitated a few times before continuing, “do you want a ride?”

“Huh?” I looked at him in disbelief. Is this really Damien Sawyer offering me a ride? 

“Did Zack hit your head too hard? I asked if you wanted a ride.” Yep. Definitely Damien.

“I’m fine. I can walk. Did you not drink?” 

“I don’t drink. How far away do you live?”

“Thirty minutes.”

“Thirty- you plan on walking that far? Alone?” Damien said, concern laced in his voice.

“I’ll take the bus or something,” I retorted.

“The buses stopped running by now.”

“Oh.”

Damien sighed and stood up. “Come on. Let’s go.”

“What?” 

Damien quirked his eyebrow at me. “Starting to think Zack really did hit your head,” he scoffed.

My cheeks heated with embarrassment as I stood up. “Fine,” I muttered.

Damien started walking in the direction of the parking lot and I followed close behind him. We stopped in front of a black pickup truck that looked fairly new. Damien unlocked it and hopped into the driver’s side. I followed shortly after into the passenger side. 

I was oddly calm considering the situation. Maybe I was still a little drunk and my brain wasn’t working properly. I mean come on, Damien Sawyer was giving me a drive home. I’d normally be freaking out. 

Damien asked for my address and I entered it into the built-in GPS on the car’s touch screen. Shortly after Damien started driving, I must have dozed off because all I remember next was him shaking me awake and me climbing the stairs to my apartment and passing out on the couch when I couldn’t make it to my bed. My last thought before succumbing to sleep was that I would get my weeks of free lunches after all.