An hour passed. Maybe two. It all blended together. The voices dripped and smeared like paint. Lillie did most of the talking while Meik slumped in his chair. It squeaked beneath him as he jiggled his foot violently. The meeting was never going to end; he couldn’t even remember what it was about. Something...he needed something. Something from the douchebags sitting around the table with him. Something his own company couldn’t do.

Jesus, it was hard to focus. Meik didn’t know if it was the mild hangover or the booze he’d medicated it with. What he did know was that he hated the bearded man across from him. He droned. On and on and on. Full of himself. Cocky. Arrogant. In love with his own vo—

“Oh my God, would you just shut up?!” Meik blurted.

Every pair of eyes in the room darted to him. Meik didn’t care. He stared back, arms crossed over his chest in a manner he hoped looked tough but probably looked more like the beginning of a tantrum.

The obnoxious bearded man blustered, face rapidly reddening. He opened his mouth, no doubt to tell Meik where to stuff it but before he could speak, Lillie hopped to her feet. “I’m so sorry,” she said, voice like salve to soothe the burn. When she pulled at Meik’s arm, her nails pressed in hard enough to make him wince and stumble up. “Mr. Lennen has been under the weather for the past week. We tried to get him to stay home but…”

Her simpering smile begged for forgiveness. “M’fine,” Meik mumbled.

“It’s okay, Mr. Lennen, I’ll take care of this. You go home and rest.” She patted his arm as she pulled him towards the door. “And don’t come back until you feel better.” Her eyes were sharp, shooting him a glare the client couldn’t see.

Before he knew it, the door snapped shut. Meik blinked, staring into space trying to comprehend what had just happened.

Busy tonight. Tomorrow? I’ll call you when I get home. <3

Meik glowered at Gabe’s text message. He’d hoped Gabe would come over to his apartment that evening. He still didn’t have much furniture, but he’d gotten it all decorated for Halloween because he knew Gabe loved it. Also, chances were high the silly decorations would get him in the mood to put on the slutty little devil costume Meik had gotten him.

It’s ok. Ttyl. <3

A sigh and Meik tossed his phone onto the second-hand coffee table. Staring at the blank wall where the TV would be once he could afford it, he crossed his arms over his chest. He didn’t want to sit around his apartment all evening waiting for Gabe. He was young. He should be out doing things. Or at least doing his boyfriend. He deserved it after the day he’d had. Researching for hours upon hours about how to start a company. He wanted to build a team of freelancers, people from different countries who would deliver high-quality work for a price no one would work for where he lived. It was only a matter of time. Of finding the right category for his agency. His brain was fried. There were too many variables. Too many things that could go wrong when founding a virtual assistant agency. But Meik was determined to try.

Tossing himself back onto the couch, he stretched and tapped his fingers against his stomach. He could jerk off, but Gabe’s hands/mouth/ass were a lot nicer than his hand. He still had some beer in the fridge; he could get drunk, but then he might pass out and miss Gabe’s call. Rolling onto his side, he went back to staring at his non-TV.

He was debating doing both—masturbating while getting drunk—when his stomach growled. “Fine. I’ll eat.” His voice small in the empty room.

In no time at all, Meik had slipped his shoes and jacket on and headed down the street. He enjoyed the freedom of coming and going as he pleased. It was better when Gabe came over though. His friends made fun of him all the time. Saying he was obsessed. Asking when he was going to propose. They were kidding, but Meik had actually considered it. They were just jealous. And they didn’t understand what it was like to desire someone so completely. To live for their smile. For the way their eyes lit up when they laughed. Obsessed? Maybe. Crazy in love? Most definitely.

Strolling down the street, with his hands buried in the pockets of his denim jacket, he barely paid attention to his surroundings. It was a coincidence Meik ended up in front of his and Gabe’s favorite café. He didn’t mind. He could get a croissant and coffee. Dinner for a winner.

The door opened with a ding, and Meik scanned the mostly empty tables. He was debating whether to dine in or not when he spotted something that made his stomach drop. Gabe, sitting at a table with some dude Meik had never seen before. They had plates in front of them, food half-eaten. He didn’t know what they were talking about. All he knew was that when Gabe giggled, the dude laughed in turn and patted his arm. This was what Gabe had turned him down for? Something that looked awfully like a date. A pang of jealousy exploded in his chest. Should he walk out or confront him? It was all so confusing. So overwhelming. Meik didn’t know what to do. But he felt sick watching Gabe laugh and pick at his food.

And so, he peddled back from the café, cool breeze lashing across his face like claws. He had never been so upset. Nor so hurt. Heart shredded to pieces.

Gabe had called that night, but Meik hadn’t picked up. Too upset to talk to him and without a chance of running into Gabe at school—since Meik had just graduated—a week passed. Although Meik had counted on Gabe calling again, he didn’t. He didn’t know what was going on with him, but he wasn’t going to take the first step. No, he’d wait for Gabe to call him again to explain who that guy was. He was in the wrong. Not Meik.

Except, they hadn’t gone a week without talking in...like...ever. Meik was worried. He’d held out as long as he could. The thoughts of Gabe and that dude kept spiraling uncontrollably. Was this it? Had Gabe left him? As upset as he was, Meik missed him. Sitting in his dark living room, Meik finally bit the bullet and dialed Gabe’s number. It rang and rang, the tone echoing in his ear. “Hey, this is Gabe. I’m no—” Click.

Meik waited a moment and dialed again. He’d already broken down and called, might as well keep going until he got him.

It wasn’t until the fourth time that the phone was picked up. Gabe’s mother. “Yes?” she snapped.

“Uh, I was calling to speak to Gabe.” Not the reception he’d expected.

“Oh, Meik,” she said, voice softening. “Sorry. It’s been hectic. Gabe’s not been feeling well.”

“Is he okay?” The words rushed out faster than his breath.

“He just...oh! Shit. I was supposed to call you. He asked me to. Gabe passed out a couple of days ago.”

“What?”

“He worked on a school project at this café you both always go to, and he fainted on the steps. Hit his head. He’s been back and forth to the doctors since then. I forgot to call. I’m sorry, Meik.” Words tumbled out, tears lingering behind them.

“Where is he now?” Panic bubbled, the color draining from Meik’s face.

“He’s sleeping. He’s very tired,” she whispered. “You can come over. He’d like that.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Meik didn’t even grab his coat, and he almost forgot to slip on his shoes. He didn’t feel the cold as he rushed to his old beat-up car. Speeding the entire way, he screeched to a stop in front of Gabe’s house. He ran up the driveway, tramping through the grass and banging on the door. It was unlocked, so he slid inside and met Gabe’s mother heading from the kitchen.

“Oh, that was fast.” She blinked at his sudden appearance.

“Uh, yeah.” Meik glanced up the staircase before flicking his eyes back at her. “Gabe’s in his room?”

She nodded. “You can go up,” she said. “I’m making him soup. I’ll bring you some too.”

“Thanks,” Meik called over his shoulder, heading up the stairs two at a time.

The door to Gabe’s bedroom was cracked; he pushed it open without a thought. The desk lamp cast a yellow glow around the room, sickly in a way Meik had never noticed before. Gabe was curled on his side under the blankets, breathing softly. Meik kicked off his shoes before he climbed on the bed next to him. “Gabe?” he whispered, arms wrapping around the Gabe-shaped lump.

A few seconds passed before Gabe stirred, pressing back into his embrace. “Hey, Meik,” he muttered. Gabe lifted his arms from beneath the blankets. Bruises and needle marks littered the inside of his forearms. Meik winced, lacing their fingers together.

“Jesus, Gabe, what are they doing to you?” He needed to go with him, make them treat him gentler. “Are you okay?”

Gabe yawned. “Mom’s all worried about me, but I just fainted. Didn’t eat enough or something.” He squirmed away from Meik and held the covers up. “Get under here.”

Meik smiled, wiggling into the warmth and settling his arms around his waist. They faced each other, arms looping back around him. His skin looked waxy, dark circles like bruises under his eyes. His curls were tangled, knotted. Meik would have to take care of that later. “You...kind of look sick,” he admitted.

“M’tired. Do you know how much blood they took from me? I’m fucking tapped out,” Gabe mumbled into Meik’s chest, eyes drooping closed. “People need blood.”

“Well, I’ll yell at them, if they keep abusing you like this.”

“My hero.” Gabe was already drifting off again.

Meik nodded, burying his face in Gabe’s hair. “I’m sorry it took so long for me to come over.”

“S’okay,” he yawned. “Just don’t leave.”

“Never.”