"Yes that's right, Michael Jones. Mr Free has given me written consent to allow me to speak on his behalf and receive updates on his case." Michael paced around his living room, circling the sofa Gavin was perched anxiously on. "Uh-huh. Uh-huh. What!? Jesus... Yes of course. Thank you, officer. Bye"

Hanging up, Michael collapsed onto the sofa beside Gavin. He avoided the mans eyes as he ran his hands through his own hair, unsure of how exactly to tell his friend what he had just found out.

He felt Gavin nervously bouncing next to him and knew that he just had to go for it. He took a deep shaky breath and turned to face him.

"Geoff is still in custody. The police have multiple eyewitnesses stating that they saw him outside the bar we were at that night, carrying a young drunk man matching your description and bundling him –you- into the car."

Silence.

Michael fervently searched Gavins blank face for any emotions, any indication that he'd heard and understood what he'd just said. He found nothing. Several more minutes passed.

"Gav did you- URRGH!" Instinctively Michael leapt off the sofa and away from the vomit Gavin had just projectile all over his legs and couch.

"I...I..." Gavin stumbled over his apology and burst into tears, staring at dismay at Michaels vomit-covered jeans.

"It's ok buddy, don't worry about it. It's not your fault."

Gavin wept as Michael pulled him up into a hug; initially attempting to prevent his legs from making contact with Gavins, but then figuring that the lads comfort mattered more that the laundry bill, and held him tightly to him as he sobbed.

"It's not your fault" he murmured as he ran his fingers soothingly through Gavins hair "It's not your fault. It's not your fault."

Gavin woke up with his heart racing. Groggily he looked around Michaels dark bedroom in search of the sound that had roused him. Michael himself was still spark-out beside him. A buzz and flash of light on the nightstand told him that it was a text alert that had awoken him. He opened his phone to see a series of texts from Dan, asking to talk to him with increasing urgency.

'I was asleep you tit, wassup?' he replied, slightly irritated.

His phone buzzed again in his hand a few seconds later

'Don't care. Skype please?'

Sighing, but realising that it had to be something important, Gavin slid out of bed and into the living room, grabbing a hoodie and pulling it over his head as he walked past Michaels discarded clothing pile. Yawning, he pulled up Skype on his Mac and accepted the incoming video call.

"Waddaya want B, it's 3.30 in the pissing morning here!"

"I know and I'm sorry, but I've just woken up to a metric fuck tonne of tweets about you and Geoff!"

"What about me and Geoff?" Panic was rising in his chest

"Well...at first I thought it was some sick fanfiction tripe... but then I was linked to this news article and-"

"What article?" Gavins blood was running cold through his body now, and breathing was suddenly becoming a challenge again

"It doesn't-"

"WHAT BLOODY ARTICLE DAN!?"

"The Austin Chronicle ran a story about a local man called Geoffrey Ramsey being arrested for the rape of his British lodger. It doesn't mention you by name but I figured if it doesn't mean you then it's a pretty big coincidence. Apparently the entirety of the internet came to the same conclusion. It's not true though, right B?" Dan was staring at him through the camera, exactly how Michael had done earlier. "B? Gav? He didn't...he didn't hurt you, right?"

Gavin remained silent; not wanting to admit it, but also not willing to lie to his oldest friend.

"Oh, B. I'm so-" Dans voice broke and he cleared his throat.

"Wass goin' on?" Michael walked sleepily into the room and plonked himself down next to Gavin "I heard yellin'. Oh! Hey Dan!" he instantly shook himself awake.

"You're staying at Michaels? Good, I was gonna ask if you were." He turned to direct his attention to the redhead. "I'm coming over in a week. I'd come sooner but that's the earliest I can get time off."

"Sure, okay." Michael looked carefully towards Gavin "Why the sudden rush though?" he tested.

"I know. About Geoff. It's all over the internet."

"Ahh FUCK!" Michael groaned "how?"

"It was in the-"

"What's been said on Twitter?" Gavin suddenly interjected.

"Nothing you should worry about B." Answered Dan quickly, with a warning glance to Michael.

Gavin nodded slowly.

"I'm gonna be sick." He muttered, getting up and making his way back to the corridor.

Dan and Michael looked at each other awkwardly.

"How long's he gonna stay with you then?"

"Indefinitely now I guess. I mean, there's no way he'll be going back to Geoffs after this."

Dan nodded his agreement "I'm glad. I know you'll watch out for him and keep him safe."

Michael grimaced "If only I had done that night, none of this would be happening"

"No. No one is to blame for this except Geoff. I swear down if I ever get my hands on that sick fuck, no one will ever see him again." Dans eyes were dark and murderous.

Michael suppressed a shiver.

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Gavin's been a while. I'm gonna go check on him."

"Sure, good idea. I have to go to work now, but have him call me around 19.00, my time. If he's up to it, obviously."

"Will do. Let us know when your flight is. Also, you can crash here as long as you want."

"Cheers Michael. Take care of B for me. See ya"

"What's been said on Twitter?" Gavin asked, zoning back into the conversation

"Nothing you should worry about, B." Dan replied, altogether too readily.

Gavin noticed him share an uneasy look with Michael. "Right," he thought, nodding "so clearly they're trying to keep something from me now." He fell silent again. How was he ever going to see what they're hiding from him? Michael will insist on babysitting him and monitoring his internet browsing from now on. Making it now or never, really.

"I'm gonna be sick" he announced, quickly exiting the room. Making a detour on the way to the bathroom, he instead returned to the bedroom and was satisfied to find his phone where he had left it; on the pillow. Locking the door behind him, he sat cross-legged on the bed and opened Twitter. Immediately he was bombarded with an overwhelming amount of notifications and messages; most of them links to The Austin Chronicle. Geoff Ramsey was trending.

He chose a link at random and followed it to the comment section. He instantly wished that he hadn't.

'soooo...this is about Gavin right?'

'well thats a new idea for Things To Do then Geoff lol'

'Knew they were bangin'

'regret isn't rape Gavin smh'

'bet the little twink loved it really'

'no way Geoff did that. Gavin is a fuckin liar'

'lol faggot'

'Always knew Gavin was a fag tbh'

'#IStandWithGeoff'

Bile was filling up his throat but he couldn't stop reading. Hundreds of comments, most of them calling him a liar, or full of vile slurs. He dug his nails into his leg but it wasn't enough. Turning the phone over in his hands, he popped the case off to reveal the single razor blade he had hidden there. Breathing heavily, he took it out and sliced a small cut into his thigh. He stared at it for a moment, fresh blood running over the scabbed and pink lines from previous lacerations. Drawing another breath, he brought the metal to his skin again.

15 new cuts in neat lines, parallel to his existing marks. It wasn't enough.

Gavin rolled up his sleeves.

Dan hung up, leaving Michael alone in the living room. Stretching, he made his way over to the closed bedroom door and tried the handle. It wouldn't budge.

"Gav? Gav are you ok? Did you lock the door?" he tried to keep his voice calm in spite of the panic building inside him.

There was no response. He tried the door again to no avail.

"Gavin? Please let me in?" A thought suddenly struck him, and he groaned. Gavins phone had been on the bed beside him when he had gotten up to look for him. He banged on the locked door, futilely pulling the handle again. "Gav, please, please don't check Twitter. There will be nothing helpful on there, please boi! Just let me in!"

"I...I already checked it, Michael." Gavins voice sounded weak and strained "I already... everybody knows Michael. The fans, my friends, the news...everyone knows."

He sounded so small -so defeated- that it broke Michaels heart.

"It's gonna be okay Gav. I...I promise it's gonna be okay. Just please let me in there with you"

There was a beat of silence before he heard Gavin move inside the bedroom.

"Just leave me alone Michael. Leave me alone."

Dejected, Michael dropped his head to rest against the door. "Okay Gavin, but I'm right here alright? You don't have to be alone."

"I am alone. Just go away."