Title: One.
Characters: Hunter Scott (Drew Roy), Gavin Gautier (Chord Overstreet)
Summary: "You haven't said it back yet."
Coughing to clear his throat, rather than to curb any awkwardness, Gavin wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and smiled. “Took you long enough.” That was his reply to this milestone in their relationship. The twenty two year old felt his body shake, only the effects of Hunter laughing, because, of course, only Gavin would try to make light of a situation like this. The smile that formed on the brunette’s lips shone brightly, despite the mostly dark area of their home. Actually, it was Hunter’s home, Gavin was just spending the night, something that he found himself doing more and more as of late.
“You haven’t said it back, yet.” Hunter said, through a tight smile as his vision began to blur through tears that had yet to be shed. The brunette let his fingers caress his boyfriend’s cheek softly, and his other hand cupped the back of his neck, the tips of his fingers swirling around the longer blonde hair. Reaching up, Gavin cupped Hunter’s cheek as he lay in the brunette’s lap, as comfortable as he could get. He smiled warmly, the tenderness of it expressing more emotion than his words ever could. With the pad of his thumb gliding along Hunter’s lower lip, he chuckled, choking up a bit as he spoke. “I think it’s more than obvious that I love you too, Hunt.” It had been evident, from day one. Gavin had known in his heart that Hunter was his person. He had just been waiting on his boyfriend to figure out that the same could be said for Hunter about Gavin. He never could impose that on him, despite the fact that he wanted to, many times. He felt the pressure of a gently kiss against his thumb, and his own eyes began to water. Fuck. This was not the time to cry. They’d both said what they needed to say, and it should be all hugs, kisses, and very amazing ‘I love you ‘ sex, from here on out.
Turning his face to cough once more, this time worse than the others, Gavin knew what would happen next. His blue-green eyes returned to Hunter’s deep chocolate ones, a small smile on his face. The blonde felt his boyfriend’s body tremble and shake with fervor, as he did his damnedest to fight the sobs that were sure to overcome his body. Gavin’s heart broke a little more. He wanted nothing more than to comfort his love, to take him into his arms and whisk him off to the bed that they had shared so many times before, but he was too weak to do anything but focus on breathing.
The shock was setting in, and Gavin knew that if he dared to glance down at his body, the blood staining his clothes would be much greater than before. His body was growing cold and he cursed silently as his vision began to haze. “Hunter?” The sound of his voice, just barely above a whisper. “Please.. just know that I-I…” It was getting harder to get the words out; it was taking all of his energy. His hand fell from his boyfriend’s cheek, the small smile still playing across his lips. “I’ll always love you… Always.” The breathing became more labored, and Hunter pulled Gavin into his arms, trying to save him by praying for a miracle. The twenty one year old could hear the slow thumping of a heartbeat in his boyfriend’s chest, and he clung on to the steady beating, hoping, begging it not to be over.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Five. Five.
Five. That was how many muffled heartbeats he heard with his ear pressed against the, still warm, chest of Gavin. Five heartbeats and he was gone. Five heartbeats, and Hunter wished to God that he could have gone with him.
One. Two. Three. Four. Four. Four
Four. That was how many minutes later the police barged in, asking what had happened, even though Hunter had called about the break in fifteen minutes ago.
One. Two. Three. Three. Three.
Three. That was the number of EMTs that pulled in behind the cops, trying to tear Gavin out of his arms as he screamed and shouted at them, not to touch him.
One. Two. Two. Two.
Two. That was the number of times Hunter had almost fooled himself into thinking that this was all some kind of a bad dream. Almost.
One. One. One.
One. That was the number of people that Hunter was going to love the same way he loved Gavin. One. And he was dead.
