(This is the only chapter that isn't fully my writing and is 99% the original but I edited it a lot. Every chapter after this is 100% my writing)
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"Michael." Kara's soft voice calls from downstairs. Michael sighs, wide awake. He's an early riser, but likes to spend as much time hidden in his room as he could. He hears a soft knock at the door and Kara's head pops in with a warm smile.
"You up?" She asks. Michael forces a small smile and nods, throwing the covers off of himself.
"Get to it, hon. Don't want to be late." Kara says, leaving his room. Michael stands from the warmth of his bed, grabbing the clothes he laid out the night before and quietly making his way to the bathroom, not wanting to wake the other kids. He quickly showers, gets dressed, and makes his way downstairs. Michael puts his glasses on, runs his fingers through his wet, messy, curly hair, then pulls a beanie on his head, deciding fuck the school rules, he can't be bothered to try and tame the mess on his head.
"That was quick." Kara smiles, handing Michael his backpack. Michael nods a thank you and takes it from her.
"Michael." Kara says softly, looking at the boy who seemed to refuse to look her in the eye. Michael looks up at her.
"You alright, sweetheart?" Michael almost cringes at the pet name. That's what his mother used to call him. Michael just nods solemnly.
"You know you can talk to me, right?" Kara says. Michael nods. Kara smiles at him sadly.
"Talk to me, sweetie." Michael clears his throat.
"Thank you, Kara." is all he can muster up. Kara nods.
"You want a ride today?" She asks.
"No, thank you, Kara." Michael replies quickly, turning to leave.
"Alright, Michael. If you want me to pick you up, just call me." Michael nods and leaves the house, throwing his backpack over his shoulders and bracing himself for the day.
He silently walks past his old neighborhood, looking at his old home longingly. 'That wasn't home, that was hell' He thinks to himself. Michael forces himself not to look at the house opposite his old home. He constantly tries to forget the first 13 or so years of his life. At the time, it was fine. But he's 17 now and he wants to forget his mom, and his dad. Most of all, he has to forget Gavin. But as hard as he tries, he can't. Michael sighs, reminiscent of his best friend, his old life. He grew up with the Brit. They shared their childhood. Even though there were a few things Michael hid from Gavin. He had to hide those things. They promised to be there for each other forever. They promised to protect each other.
Ironically enough, Gavin abandoned Michael when he needed Gavin most. The pair haven't spoken a word to each other in almost four years. Michael shook the thoughts out of his head as he approaches his school. He glues his eyes to the pavement under him, just trying to make his way to his locker. Quickly, almost on cue, Michael is shoved back. The force makes Michael stumble backwards and almost drop his phone.
"Watch it." The kid spits and his friends snicker beside him. One of those friends is none other than Gavin Free. Michael forces himself not to look Gavin in the eye, knowing he won't find what he's looking for, and as he suspected, Gavin walks right past him, hardly acknowledging him at all. Michael sighs and pushes himself off the lockers. He knows he could knock all of those kids out in a single punch, I mean he's from new jersey, if you didn't fight you didn't survive, he just doesn't see the point. He finally makes it to his locker and gets what he needs when, much to his dismay, the morning bell rings.
Michael sighs and shuts his locker. He has maths. That wasn't all that bad. Michael like maths, the work was easy enough and Mr. Dooley was cool, but he shares that class with Gavin. Reluctantly, Michael makes his way to Mr. Dooley's class. As per usual he's the first student to enter the classroom.
"Good morning, Michael." Mr. Dooley greets with a smile. Michael turns the corners of his lips up, imitating a pathetic smile and sits in his seat quietly, waiting for the lesson to begin. The students slowly but surely begin to pile in. The chatter begins to get louder and louder. Once the late bell rings, Mr. Dooley calls for their attention. Gavin enters the room, his face showing that he's irritated. Michael looks up at him, concerned. Gavin feels the red head's eyes on him, and turns to look at him. Gavin sends him a subtle glare, causing Michael to turn his attention back to the front of the classroom. Gavin shakes his head and plops his backpack beside his chair, taking his seat right in front of Mr.Dooley's desk. He had been seated there because the soccer coach had told Gavin if he didn't raise his maths grade, he'd be bench for the rest of the season.
"Settle down, everyone!" Mr Dooley calls out, clapping his hands together.
"I want to discuss your exam results." He begins, picking up the stack of graded tests.
"And wish to not talk over you..." He adds and the class collectively groans. Everyone felt they had done poorly on the test. Mr Dooley nods at their response.
"Nggh indeed," He jokes, imitating their groans.
"I want to say you all bombed this test..." Mr. Dooley slams the tests on to the desk in front of him, Gavin's desk. Gavin sighs and rubs his tired eyes. He'd studied for that test all night, and he bombed it. Geoff's gonna be minged off, Gavin thinks to himself. Gavin looks at the stack in front of him and sees that the top of the stack was a paper with a big A+. He looks down at it, his eyes scanning the work.
"I would say you all bombed it, but of course," Mr. Dooley said, taking the perfect paper from Gavin's desk and waving it in front of his students, "Mr. Jones," Mr. Dooley continues, walking over to Michael's desk and placing the paper on it, "Aced it." The entire class begins to burn a hole in Michael with their eyes. Michael diverts his gaze and looks down at his exam whilst sinking into himself more. Sure as shit, as always, it has an A+ and a smiley face.
"I want to thank Michael." Mr. Dooley smiles. "He's letting me know I'm doing something right."
"But he's just a nerd with nothing better to do!" The familiar British voice whines. The class erupts in a light laughter.
"A Nerd?" Mr. Dooley asks, eyeing Gavin. Gavin just nods confidently and scowls at Michael who is trying to sink further into his hoodie.
"How about instead of calling Michael names, you ask him for help?" Mr. Dooley asks, crossing his arms and shifting his weight onto one leg.
"Because I don't bloody need his help!" Gavin responds, flailing his arms a bit.
"This," Mr. Dooley says, pointing to the next test in the stack, Gavin's, "Tells me different..." The whole class has gone silent.
"You want to mean something, Gavin?" Mr. Dooley asks.Gavin just nods.
"Doing what?" Mr. Dooley asks.
"I dunno," Gavin shrugs, "Footie?"
Mr. Dooley chuckles.
"Well, while you sit and think about it, Michael here," Mr. Dooley says, pointing at the red head, "Is already working on it." Mr. Dooley, happy with the point he has made, moves on with his lesson plan. When it came to silent work, Mr. Dooley quietly pulls up a chair beside Michael's desk.
"Michael," Mr. Dooley whispers, "I'm very happy to see you're doing so well. You're recovering very well, did the therapy help?" Michael smiles sadly and nods.
"You should consider tutoring. Whether it be out of the kindness of your heart, or to make a couple bucks. Definitely give it some thought." Michael nods once more. Mr. Dooley nods, smiles at Michael, pats his back and walks off towards the other side of the class. Mr Dooley is an old friend of Joel's and Kara's, the two people that run the care home, and so he is very close to all the kids there, including Michael.
Gavin's hand shoots up once he sees Mr. Dooley isn't busy. The teacher quickly makes his way to Gavin's desk.
"What can I help you with, Gavin?" Mr. Dooley asks.
"Everything." Gavin groans. Mr. Dooley frowns.
"I just don't get it." Gavin sighs, "And I need to get my grades up!"
"How about we get you some personal, one on one assistance?"
"Like a tutor?" Gavin asks, not sure if he should be offended or relieved.
"Yes," Mr. Dooley nods, "A tutor." Gavin frowns for a moment. He figures it's for the best, so he nods in agreement.
"I'll see what I can do." Mr. Dooley smiles and walks to his own desk.
The class nears its end, which means Mr. Dooley was to review the stuff they'd learnt that morning.
"Who can tell me what the quadratic formula is?" The teacher begins, being cut off by the school bell ringing obnoxiously, signalling the end of the class. Mr Dooley rolls his eyes and waves his hand, dismissing his students.
"Thank Christ." Michael mutters to himself, quickly packing up and making his way out of the classroom.
"Jones. Free." Mr. Dooley calls out before Michael can escape. Michael cringes, but turns around and approaches his teacher. Gavin sighs and rolls his eyes, making his way to the teacher's desk.
"Gavin, You and I have discussed getting you more help in this class. And Michael here is my highest scoring student. Hopefully you can get him out of his shell too." Mr. Dooley says with a warm smile, gesturing between the two boys. Michael's eyes widen with shock. He has to be joking, Michael thinks to himself.
"Seriously, Mr. Dooley?" Gavin whines, "There's not anyone else that could help me?" Michael swallows hard and glues his gaze to his shoes.
"This is honestly the best I can do, Gavin." Mr. Dooley shrugs, "Michael's never failed me, I'm sure he won't fail you. Will you help him, Michael?" Mr. Dooley asks. Michael bites his lip unsure but nods, knowing he doesn't have much of a choice. Although, Michael isn't sure if Gavin wants his help. After all, Gavin was the one who stopped talking to him. Gavin was the one who ended the friendship. Why would Gavin suddenly want to be around Michael again? Gavin sighs and finally looks up at Michael.
"Can we meet at your place?" Gavin asks. "I don't need my mum and dad asking any questions." Michael nods, and turns to leave the classroom. That's when he remembers. He hasn't lived in his old house in almost four years. Fuck it, I'll explain it to him later, Michael thinks. Just before Michael exits the room Mr. Dooley calls "I'll talk to Kara about it, Michael. We were due for a phone call, anyway." Michael freezes, then just nods. Gavin joins him as he leaves the room.
"Who's Kara?" Gavin asks. Michael ignores him and continues to walk through the hallway. Gavin continues to follow him.
"Oh, do you have a girlfriend?" Gavin teases. Michael's face shows he feels offended. Kara is his career, his foster mum, he didn't possibly think of her in that way.
Gavin doesn't know any better, Michael thinks to himself. Gavin doesn't know anything that happened. He doesn't know about mum, dad, he doesn't know about Ray or Ryan. Or any of the kids he lives with now.
"Could we meet today after school?" Gavin asks quietly, "It's one of the only days I'm free." Michael nods and walks away, hauling ass to his second period class. He lazily takes his seat in his English class as the late bell rings.
The rest of the day is a blur. All he can think about is his tutor session with Gavin as he tries to come up with any excuse that could get him out of it. Michael is surprised that Gavin agreed. Didn't he hate him? Why else would Gavin just stop talking to him? It made sense why Gavin wouldn't want Michael over at his house. He hadn't been over in over three years, if he were to just show up, Geoff and Griffon would assume the two had made up, and Gavin couldn't have his parents thinking that, not even for a second. Gavin would have questions, Michael knows that. What he doesn't know is if he is ready to answer those questions or not. Before Michael even realised the time, the final bell rings, signalling the end of the school day.
He sighs and shoves his beanie back on his head, no longer worrying about the anti-headwear policy. He rushes to his locker, shoving his chemistry and history book in. He fishes out his maths stuff, preparing to help Gavin. Speaking of, the Brit suddenly appears as Michael shuts his locker door.
"You Ready?" Gavin asks, uneasily. Gavin had never really been mean to Michael. Sure, he'd call him a nerd but that was because Mr. Dooley always gushed over Michael's performance, it had riled him up. But it wasn't that Gavin ever hated Michael, and if he did, Michael didn't know it. Michael nods silently, and led the way out of the school.
"Do you talk at all anymore?" Gavin asks with smirk and Michael can tell Gavin is teasing him. Michael just shrugs, continuing to the gate. To his surprise he sees Ryan. Ryan is the oldest boy, 19, in the home Michael lives in. He's technically too old to be in foster care, as you are meant to leave at 18, but Kara and Joel don't want any of them to leave and so they said they can all stay for as long as they want. Ryan and the other kids that live with them go to a different school than Michael, so it was rare that he gave Michael a ride home. Michael doesn't mind, though. He doesn't live far or want to be a burden. But there Ryan is, sat in his car waiting. Gavin stands, looking around the car park, watching his friends hanging out without him. He just wants to hang with them, but he knows grades should always come first.
Because his attention was elsewhere, Michael taps on Gavin's shoulder softly. The Brit spins and looks back at the red head, confused. Michael nods towards Ryan in his car and starts walking towards him.
"Who's that, Micool?" Gavin mumbles, quickly following him. Michael shivers at the sound of Gavin saying his name; he hasn't been called 'Micool' in a while. Michael just shrugs it off. He climbs into the passenger seat, and gestures for Gavin to get in the back seat. Uneasily, Gavin climbs into the stranger's car.
"Got a friend over?" Ryan smiles at Michael, referring to the Brit in the back. Michael shakes his head.
"Tutoring him." He replies quietly. Ryan nods and starts the car, bringing the engine to life. The car ride starts off silent, until Ryan has another question.
"Mum know?" He asks, referring to Kara. Michael shrugs.
"My teacher should've called." Ryan and the little ones called Kara mum. In fact, Michael is the only one in the home who doesn't. Ryan, Kara, and Joel, another carer, understand that. It's been too soon for Michael to be that close to anyone. They cut him slack. And for that, he'd be forever grateful. Ryan nods.
"Only her and the boys are home, Jay is picking up the rest later. Miles has stuff at school to deal with still." Ryan says as they pull up to their large house. Gavin looks out the window, utterly confused. Even more so when Michael gets out of the car and shuts the door.
"You coming in?" Michael asks Ryan quietly through the car window.
"Nah, got shit to do." Ryan shakes his head, "Tell mum I'll be home for supper, though." Michael nods and opens Gavin's car door for him, since he clearly isn't getting out on his own. Gavin is still in a state of surprise. He doesn't know Ryan, and the house they stand in front of is just as foreign. And who is Mum? He asks himself. Michael is an only child, Gavin remembers clearly. He was too, that's why they got along so well. That's why they needed each other so much. Michael nods towards the large house. Gavin takes in a breath of air and follows him in. Ryan pulls out and off he goes. The house is huge, easily three stories in a nice neighbourhood that Gavin vaguely recognises. Despite having a well cut and neat lawn, there are toys and bikes sprawled out the front.
"Micool," Gavin says softly, "Where are we?"
"I live here." Michael replies with a shrug.
"You li-," Gavin squawks, "When did you move here?"
Michael shakes his head and lets himself inside. If it was even possible, the house seems bigger on the inside. Bloody TARDIS, this place. Gavin thinks to himself.
"Michael!" Two unfamiliar voices squeal. Emerging from the hallway ahead, two small boys come dashing towards Michael. Michael smiles down at the two boys hugging his legs for dear life, while Gavin stands there, still in utter shock. He's never seen them before. They seem to be the same age. They both have dark black hair but are obviously not related, not by blood anyway. One is really tanned, the other is ghostly pale. It reminds Gavin of him and Michael growing up, minus the curly red hair.The darker boy has tiny glasses perched on his face, and a rose pinned to his black shirt. The latter has a large, ill-fitting lab coat on. Clearly Ryan's or Michael's. Michael just ruffles the tops of the boy's heads.
"Michael?" Gavin hears a warm, motherly voice. Finally, Gavin thinks, Mrs. Jones will explain everything. Gavin expects Michael's mother to descend from the stairs and waits to see the familiar face. He'd grown up with Michael's mum just as much as he had with Michael, which is why he is still confused when a strange women comes down to greet them.
"Boys," She says sternly to the two boys clung to Michael, "Please get off of him."
"Sorry, mummy." The two say in unison and they back away from Michael. Kara giggles at the look of painful confusion on Gavin's face.
"You must be Gavin," Kara greets with an extended hand, "Mr. Dooley told me you'd be here." Gavin hesitantly takes her hand and shakes it.
"I'm Kara, Michael's foster mother." Gavin chokes on her words. Foster mother? Gavin looks up at Michael to see if this was some cruel joke, but the red head has his eyes glued to the floor.
"This is Ray," She says, gesturing to the rose-bearing boy. "And this is Dan." Ray just smiles up at Gavin, who nervously returns the kind gesture.
"Hi, Gavin." Ray greets, waving his tiny hand to him. Dan shyly hides behind Kara's leg. Kara turns to Michael and assures him "I'll keep them out of your way." Michael nods and starts walking towards the stairs, up to his room.
"Where's Ryan?" Kara calls after him.
"Out, he'll be home for dinner." Kara nods, then turns to see Gavin frozen in his spot. Kara figures it's a lot of information to take in. She knows the history between Michael and Gavin. Everyone does.
"You can follow him up, sweetheart. Top floor, second door on the left." She offers another kind smile. Gavin nods and follows Michael upstairs quickly. Michael has already disappeared into his room, leaving the door open for Gavin, and he could tell Kara had tidied up his room after Mr. Dooley let her know Gavin was coming. It didn't bother him, though. He was actually kind of glad she did.
Gavin walks in like he'd seen a ghost, and closes the door behind him. Michael was setting up his textbooks on his desk, not paying the Brit much attention.
"Micool," Gavin chokes out. "Micool, You're in foster care?" Michael rolls his eyes.
"Really? I hadn't noticed." He mutters, not being able to resist the urge to be a complete sarcastic asshole, and flipping to the necessary page.
"But-," Gavin squawks, "But..."
Michael is becoming irritated with Gavin's reaction to the whole thing.
"We haven't spoken in almost four years, Gavin." Michael snaps, keeping his voice low, "Things have changed."
"But what about your mum? Your dad?" Gavin asks, still in disbelief.
"They died." Michael shrugs. "People die, Gavin." Michael tries to act as if the topic of his parents doesn't bother him, but it is obvious to Gavin that it does.
"I..." Gavin looks down at the floor, almost ashamed for not knowing. "I'm sorry, Micool."
"For what?" Michael asks, looking up at Gavin, his voice verging on hostile. Gavin tries his hardest to avoid his eyes. Gavin just shrugs, finally giving in and looking into Michael's eyes.
"Everything?" Gavin says. Michael just shakes his head and motions Gavin over to his desk.
"We're gonna start with the quadratic equation." Michael starts. Gavin sighs and nods, turning to pull out his math notebook when soft knock echoes through the room.
"Come in." Michael calls. The door slowly creaks open, revealing Ray. Dan, without his lab coat, cowered behind him.
"Michael?" Ray says with a small voice.
"Yes, Ray?" Michael replies, turning to face the boy.
"Are you busy?" Ray asks, straightening the wonky glasses on his face. Gavin stays silent, just watching the interaction.
"Kinda," Michael says softly, "What's up?"
"Dan and I wanted to be in here with you guys." Ray admits, playing with the rose pinned to his shirt. Michael sighs and looks at the two boys.
"It's up to Gavin, Ray. I'm helping him with something." Michael says. Ray slowly walks up to Gavin, dragging Dan in by the hand.
"Gavin," Ray begins, and Gavin almost melts at the cuteness of it all. "Can Dan and I be in here with you and Michael? We promise to be real good and quiet."
Gavin has that stupid grin on his face, causing Michael to roll his eyes.
"Sure thing, Ray." Gavin replies. Ray smiles and plops down on Michael's bed, Dan crawling up behind him. Michael just smiles at the two and turns back to the text book. Gavin, however, is still fixated on the two.
"How old are you, Ray?" Gavin asks. Ray smiles and proudly holds up a hand and spreads out all five fingers.
"I am five. Dan is a little bit older though." Ray replies.
"How old are you, Dan?" Gavin asked Dan. Dan holds up all five fingers on one hand, and one on the other, indicating he was a year older.
"Michael!" Ray shouts suddenly, getting Michael's attention.
"Gavin talks just like Dan!" Michael smiles and nods at Ray.
"Yeah buddy." Gavin looks at Michael confused.
"The accent." Michael explains, "Dan's from England too."
"Really?" Gavin squeaks with excitement, "What part?"
"Oxfordshire." Dan whispers, not looking at Gavin directly. Gavin's face lights up at the sound of his own hometown.
"Me too!" Gavin squeals. "What are you doing here?"
"Doesn't matter. He's here now! And you are too!" Ray exclaims, his voice almost aggressive. Gavin's face drops and his mouth shuts. He figures it's best not to pry when it comes to a foster family. Dan is the newest addition to Kara and Joel's foster home. He had grown up in England with his grandmother, who then moved to Austin. They had to get closer to specialists to help with his grandmother's cancer treatment. Unfortunately, she died shortly after the move. Dan has always been shy around new people. But he easily got comfortable with Kara as his new mummy, and Ryan, Michael and Ray and his new brothers and sisters.
"Ray?" Kara calls from downstairs, "Daniel?" Ray and Dan both squealed and run to hide behind Michael, climbing behind him on his chair. The two boys know Kara didn't want them bothering Michael and Gavin. Michael had figured the same thing, but he hates to deny the boys anything. Michael smiles and shields the two as the sound of Kara's footsteps carries onto the staircase. Kara opens the door to Michael's bedroom, expecting the two boys to be in there. The two younger boys squeal again, leaning into Michael's back. Michael's smile grows wider as the boys begin to push behind him, and he puts his arms around them, acting as a human shield. Gavin can't help but giggle at the boys' behaviour.
"Boys," Kara shakes her head sternly, but can't help but smile. Her boys are smiling, even Michael. That'd always make her smile. No matter what. "Michael and Gavin are busy. I asked you not to bother them and play downstairs."
"But mum," Ray whines, poking his face out from behind Michael.
"No buts." Kara shakes her head once more. "Hustle, or I'll put you both in time out." Kara points out into the hallway, asking her boys to leave Michael and Gavin to study.
"Mogar won't let you put us in time out!" Dan declares, climbing round into Michael's lap.
"Yeah! Mogar will protect us!" Ray yells and climbs onto Michael as well.
"Kara's right, boys." Michael sighs, lifting the two off of his lap and standing them up. "Mogar's got to help Gavin with something." Gavin bites his lip, trying not to giggle over the nickname. Mogar? That's adorable, Gavin thinks to himself. It was what Gavin called him when they were younger. Michael was Gavin's little boi, his Mogar, his Banjo, he was his Michael.
"Yes," Kara sighs, "Mogar's busy." She gestures the two to the hallway.
"But wait!" Ray cries, "Gavin needs a nickname!" Ray exclaims and points at Gavin who'd sunk into Michael's desk chair, just watching.
"Calm it, X-Ray." Dan mumbles, not wanting to get into any more trouble.
"Come on!" Ray insists, "We have Dan the man, X-Ray, Mogar, The Mad King! Gavin's Michael's friend! He needs a nickname!"
"What would you like to be called, Gavin?" Michael asks, looking Gavin in the eyes for once. Gavin is almost taken aback by Michael suddenly paying actual attention to him. Gavin thinks quietly. If he doesn't come up with something good and quick, he'd disappoint Ray and Dan, and he didn't want that.
"We don't got all day, Vav." Michael sighs, accidentally letting the old nickname slip.
"What was that?" Gavin squawks.
"Nothing." Michael blushes slightly and turns back to his desk, avoiding everyone's eyes.
"Vav?" Gavin repeats, the name instantly flooding his head with memories. Michael was Mogar, and Gavin was Vav. For over seven years, just them, those two against the world.
"You bloody haven't called me that in ages." Michael just shrugs.
"You haven't spoken to me in ages." He mumbles. Gavin's hurt by his statement, although it's true, but he didn't mean to abandon Michael like that. It sort of just, happened. He doesn't even remember why or how they stopped talking in the first place.
"Yeah!" Ray cheers. "X-Ray and Vav!"
"Alright," Kara giggles, "Let's leave Mogar and Vav to study."
"Okay, mummy." The two sigh and walk out of Michael's room.
"Will you be staying for dinner, Gavin?" Kara asks. "You're more than welcome to." Gavin looks at Michael, not sure if he should. He didn't realise how much he missed Michael until he actually spent time with him, and he would give anything for Michael to be comfortable around him again, like he was when they were kids. Michael's face is blank, impossible to read, and it kills Gavin. He used to be able to read Michael like a book, but now he's lost his footing. It's at this moment that Gavin decides he's going to do anything he can to get his best friend back.
"That'd be lovely, Kara." Gavin smiles. Michael keeps his eyes glued on his textbook, closely inspecting the quadratic formula as if it's the most interesting thing he's ever seen.
"If that's alright with you, Micool." Gavin says, turning to the redhead.
"Whatever." Michael shrugs.
Kara's smile widens, "Great! Feel free to use the landline to call your folks."
"Cheers, Kara." Gavin replies with a smile. Kara nods and leaves the room, closing the door behind herself.
"Alright," Michael clears his throat, "the quadratic formula." He repeats.
"How long you been in foster care, Micool?" Gavin asks, suddenly comfortable in his situation. He can't put his finger on it, but he feels like things are slowly getting better.
Michael seems comfortable around him, and that makes Gavin happy.
"Uh, I don't know," Michael shrugs, "Four years, give or take?"
"Four years?!" Gavin squawks in surprise.
"Give or take." Michael repeats, not wanting to let the anger forming in his stomach explode.
"But..." Gavin continues, "We were friends four years ago? Why didn't I know about this?"
"You stopped talking to me four years ago, Gavin." Michael reminds him, his voice not really laced with any emotion. Gavin frowns slightly.
"Well, what happened?" Gavin asks, absentmindedly.
Michael sighs and tares his beanie off to rake his fingers through the mop of curls.
"It's alright, Micool." Gavin smiles, "You can tell me."
The room falls silent. Gavin understands that, though. He imagines it isn't easy for Michael to talk about such a thing.
"He killed her." Michael finally spits out. His voice now bitter and disappointed.
"What?" Gavin whispers.
"My dad," Michael says, looking at Gavin, "He killed my mom."
Gavin looks at Michael as if he were insane.
"What do you mean, Micoo?" Gavin asks.
"You need me to fucking spell it out for you?!" Michael spits out venomously.
"He fucking murdered her." Michael says, no emotion in his voice or on his face, apart from tears of rage that begin to well up in his eyes and Gavin can't tell what the tears are saying. Michael seems neutral, but his hands are shaking with rage, as they did when he was younger. Gavin remembers the way Michael reacted whenever Gavin told him about the kids down the road that were picking on him, or the way his hands would shake whenever he came over at night because of things his dad would do that Michael refused to speak about, but Gavin knew they were bad because he would cry and his hands would shake, and Michael never cried, at least not in front of Gavin. There were a few times when Gavin would be in his room and he would look across the road into Michaels bedroom and see him sitting on his bed sobbing. These were the times that broke Gavins heart.
"He was trying to get to me." Michael explains, looking into Gavin's eyes. Gavin flinches as he looks back into Michael's stare. Suddenly, Michael's light and loving eyes are black and hollow.
"I got in their way," Michael chokes. "Then she got in his. He stabbed her real good, and then he blew his own brains out. Right in our living room."
"Micool," Gavin shakes his head, tears threatening to spill. He knew these people, these people used to be his family, his everything.
"I sat there, soaked in their blood. Neighbours reported the gunshot, police showed up. They picked me up and told the media everything." Michael spits, "So you can stop pretending like you didn't know."
"What are you on about?" Gavin gasps, wiping the single stray tear.
"It was everywhere, Gavin." Michael shakes his head. "Everyone fucking knew what happened."
"I didn't!" Gavin exclaims.
"Bullshit!" Michael yells, standing up. "Geoff and Griffon went to their funerals! They offered me a place to stay in your house! How are you going to tell me you didn't know?"
Geoff and Griffon are Gavin's adoptive parents. Gavin was adopted from Oxfordshire. His grandparents terminated their rights upon realising they were much too old to be caring for such a small child. Gavin was the product of a teenage pregnancy, so he was forced to live with his grandparents until his mom and dad were ready for him. That never happened as he was soon adopted at the age of 4 and a half and moved to Austin, Texas. This is where the Ramsey's met the Jones'.
"That's a lie!" Gavin defends, standing up to Michael. "Why would they keep that from me?"
"Because you didn't give half a shit about me when it happened." Gavin looks at Michael with a hurt expression. Weren't they still friends four years ago? How could Michael say that he didn't care about him? Michael scoffs and shakes his head.
"Do you not remember?" Michael asks in disbelief.
"Remember what?'
"The 'I don't like you anymore, Michael.' Or maybe the 'I don't want to hang out with you anymore' or the 'don't talk to me again'. How about that? Ring a bell?"
It hits Gavin like a double decker bus.
"Micool," Gavin pleads, but quickly stops himself. He remembers what happened almost four years ago.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Gavin." Michael began, looking up at his best friend.
Gavin's attention remained on the dishes in front of them.
Griffon had asked the boys to help her clean up after dinner, and the two were happy to take on the dishes.
Gavin remained silent as he handed Michael the cup he just washed.
Michael took the cup and dried it with a tea towel.
"Gav." Michael sighed. "You know we can talk about it, right? We can talk about anything."
"Not that." Gavin shook his head.
"Okay, let's not talk about it." Michael shrugged. "But stop being weird about it, then."
"I'm not." Gavin shook his head, and turned off the faucet.
Michael tossed the dish towel onto the counter and glared at Gavin.
"You're not being weird about it?" Michael scoffed. "You haven't even looked at me since it happened."
Gavin sighed and rubbed a hand over his tired eyes. He hadn't been sleeping much lately.
"You don't understand." Gavin exhaled.
"I'm trying to." Michael said, sternly. "But you don't talk to me anymore!"
"What about your parents?" Gavin said, finally looking up at Michael.
Michael froze and his face changed.
"What about them?" Michael asked, almost irritated.
"Whenever I want you to talk about them, you shut me out." Gavin argued.
"That's not fair! That's not at all the same!" Michael replied, his voice hardening.
"How?"
"My parents have nothing to do with what happened the other day. But you always have to bring them up as if I don't already know!"Michael growled.
"It makes you uncomfortable, doesn't it?" Gavin asked.
"Of course it does, you know that!" Michael reminded obnoxiously.
"Well so does what happened the other day." Gavin replied simply.
"Gavin." Michael started. "Then let's-"
"And so do you." Gavin finished.
"W-What?" Michael asked, his eyebrows furrowed. He was hoping he misunderstood Gavin.
"I don't like being around you anymore, Micool." Gavin clarified.
"What? Gavin!" Michael said, now taken aback and hurt by what Gavin was saying.
"I don't want to hang out with you anymore, Micool." Gavin deadpanned.
Michael searched Gavin's face for a smirk of some sort. He had to be kidding.
Gavin wasn't leaving him behind, not because of the other day.
"It wasn't even my fault!" Michael yelled, his voice uneasy.
"I just..." Gavin sighed.
"What?" Michael persisted.
"I just don't want to be around you anymore." Gavin shrugged.
"Because of what you did?" Michael argued, "I didn't do anything!"
"I don't like you anymore, Micool." Gavin exhaled.
"You're seriously doing this?" Michael asked, his eyes watering.
Gavin couldn't stand to see his boi cry, so he looked away, hating the fact that this time, he was the cause of the paint Michael was feeling. He nodded solemnly.
"Gavin, I don't care if you kissed me!" Michael repeats.
Gavin shook his head.
"I won't tell anyone!" Michael insisted.
Gavin rubbed his hand over his face.
"It didn't mean anything, right?" Michael said frantically, "That's what you told me."
Gavin could hear the sadness and desperation in Michael's voice. The Brit could feel tears pricking at his own eyes.
"Gavin," Michael pleaded desperately, "Please..."
Gavin shook his head.
"You should leave, Micool." Gavin insisted.
Michael stood there, silent.
"I don't want to talk to you anymore." Gavin spat and made his way upstairs.
Michael returned home that night with a heavy heart. He fell asleep with an even heavier conscious, in the cold metal chair in the Sheriff's office. Maybe if I just stayed home, Michael thought, Maybe if I just didn't bug him. Gavin would still be my boi, and dad wouldn't have hurt mum. If I just stayed home I'd be Gavin's friend forever.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Micool," Gavin exhales, "I..." Michael shakes his head as he angrily wipes away his fresh tears with the back of his hand.
"You should leave." Michael spits as if the words were poison in his mouth, refusing to say Gavin's name.
"But Micool." Gavin pleads, putting his hand on Michael's shoulder. Michael immediately shoves him away.
"I want to be there for you now. What I said to you that night wasn't fair to you, I-" Gavin persists.
"Get. out." Michael growls pointing to the door.
"But Micool..." Gavin continues, giving his sorriest eyes to his ex best friend.
"Leave!" Michael stands and raises his voice, "You did it then when I needed you not to! Now I'm asking you to, why won't you go?"
"Because I was wrong to leave you then. Like it would be wrong to leave you right now."
Michael growls and throws the books off of his desk in one swipe along the table top, then he picks up a textbook and throws it against the wall. He continues to shake with pure rage. Footsteps are heard coming up the stairs, yet it still startles Gavin when Kara walks in.
"Everything alright in here?" She asks, her voice laced with concern. Michael takes a few deep breaths to calm himself down. He hates raging in front of Kara. He respects her too much to do it often.
"I, I was- just telling Gavin he needs to leave." Michael begins, his voice low and struggling on Gavins name.
"I'm sorry if I startled you, Kara." Kara looks at the teen in confusion.
"Why does Gavin have to leave, sweetheart?" Kara asks, "You guys just got here. Aren't you meant to be studying?"
"I think I've upset Micool." Gavin admits, looking down at his shoes.
"You think?" Michael growls, hands curling into tight fists.
"Michael." Kara says softly, trying to calm him.
Michael looks away from Gavin and Kara and turns his attention to the mess he made.
"I'm sorry, Kara." Michael begins, "I'll clean this up."
"It's fine, Michael." Kara says, knowing that when Michael rages like this he doesn't really know what he's doing, and usually immediately regrets whatever he's done when he starts to calm down. "Will you watch the boys while I take Gavin home?"
"Of course." Michael nods and he makes his way downstairs to where he assumes the boys are.
"I'm sorry too, Kara." Gavin whispers, his gaze fixed on his shoes.
"It's okay, Gavin." Kara begins. "Michael's a little, for lack of a better word, sensitive. We just need to give him time and space before he's better."
"Is what he said true?" Gavin asks, still in disbelief.
"What'd he say?" Kara asks.
"About his mum and dad." Gavin says. "Did that really happen to them?" Kara sighs and gives Gavin a sad smile.
"Yes," Kara replies, "He's been here with me, Joel, and the kids ever since."
"How many kids live here?" Gavin asks as Kara leads him out of Michael's room and down the stairs.
"Well, there's the boys: Ryan, Michael, Miles, Dan, and Ray, and we have the lovely ladies Lindsay, Meg, and Barbara."
"Wow." Gavin gasps, now understanding why the house is so big. "Full house."
Just as Gavin says that, a man and a hoard of what looked like all teenagers walk in the house.
"You're telling me." The man jokes. Michael, Ray and Dan immediately stand and walk to the kids entering the house.
"Miles! What took you so long?!?!" Ray yelps and he runs over to a kid who seemed to be around Michael and Gavin's age.
"I had to stay for a bit with a friend, Ray." The boy Gavin assumes is Miles replies with a warm smile.
"A bit?" A red haired girl scoffs, "We waited forever." Michael smiles at her. The house instantly fills with chatter as the children and teenagers talk among themselves.
"Joel," Kara calls to the other adult, "Michael's friend needs a ride home so you'll need to watch the kiddies for minute." Joel nods and smiles at Gavin.
"You're not mine, so I'll assume you're Michael's friend." He says as he offers his hand to Gavin. Gavin nod a with a small smile and shakes Joel's hand.
"Gavin," he says, "Nice to meet you."
"Joel," Joel nods, "Likewise."
"Michael had a friend over?" A blond girl gasps and she runs towards Gavin. She seems like she's in her pre-teen years, although Gavin isn't good at guessing someone's age.
"You go to school with Michael?" She asks. "You hang out with my brother? Does he talk a lot around you? Are you nice to him?" She rambles on.
"Take it easy, Barb." The red head girl from before says. "Don't want to scare him away."
Gavin can't help but feel bad because he isn't really Michael's friend. He wants to be, but now it seems like Michael won't allow him to be. With all the commotion going on, Michael doesn't know Joel and his foster sisters have even noticed Gavin, let alone spoken to him. With eight kids and two adults, the house easily fills up with animated voices and laughs. That's what big families do. That's what this family does. Michael is deep in conversation with Miles about his day at school, quietly explaining being stuck as Gavin's tutor.
"That's Barbara, she's crazy." The red-head teen offers Gavin with a smile, "And I'm Lindsay, that over there is Meg." Lindsay says, pointing to the girl with dark blue hair who was standing and listening intently to Michael and Miles' conversation. "We're Michael's foster sisters." Barbara smiles at Gavin and offers her hand, like Joel did before. Gavin smiles and shakes her hand.
"I'm Gavin."
Lindsay's smile fades quickly after he spoke those words. She knows about Michael's "friend" Gavin. Michael told her and Miles after the first year he lived with them. They're the only one's around his age, and he easily felt he could trust them. Miles and Lindsay were the only ones he felt comfortable talking to about his feelings. Joel and Kara understood this, and were just happy Michael opened up about something to someone, even if it wasn't them.
Lindsay and Miles know everything that happened between Michael and Gavin when they were 13. They knew what happened later that night, as well. Michael told them everything. So it shocked her to know that the Gavin that Michael has told her and Miles all about was in their home.
"And Michael invited you over?" Lindsay asks, her voice low and no longer laced with cheer. Gavin's face falls sour for a second at her change of tone and the question.
"Our maths teacher is having him tutor me for a bit." Gavin replies. Lindsay nods and silently makes her way over to Miles, Michael and Meg. Seeing Lindsay, and where she was walking from, Miles shakes his head. He finally has a face to put with the name that was so hard for his foster brother to repeat.
"What the hell happened?" Lindsay asks, looking at Michael.
"Mr. Dooley wants me to help him with Maths." Michael shrugs. Dan and Ray are beside the teens on the couch, playing with various toys and the lads overheard the conversation.
"Yeah! Gavin let us hang out with them!" Ray exclaims.
"And he's a hero like X-Ray and Mogar!" Dan adds, the excitement in his voice matching Ray's, making Miles mutter 'fucking villain more like'.
"X-Ray and Vav!" Ray yells as he jumps off the couch.
Joel pauses his conversation with Kara for a second and turns to Ray.
"Be careful, buddy."
"Okay, Jay!" Ray calls back.
"And mummy said Gavin is going to stay for dinner." Dan adds.
"Is he Michael, is he?" Ray jumps with excitement. Michael opens his mouth to say something, but is at a loss for words. He's not gonna lie, he doesn't want Gavin eating dinner with them. This is his new family, and Michael doesn't want Gavin getting close to them to just leave them behind like he did to Michael nearly 4 years prior. But he also loves his new brothers and sisters and never wants to disappoint them, or have to tell them no. Ever.
"Mum!" Miles calls out, looking at Kara. Kara stops and looks back at Miles.
"What is it, sweetie?" She asks with a smile.
"Is Gavin staying for dinner?" Miles asks. The house falls quiet. All the kids that were in the house were eager to hear the answer. Barbara, Dan and Ray had no problem with Gavin so far, and would love to have a friend of Michael's over for dinner. Even with a full house like theirs, the family love more people over for dinner. Sometimes Miles' friends Kerry and Aaron come over, sometimes Joel's friends from work come over and bring the kid's gifts, either way, they've never had a bad experience for a dinner guest, and they love every moment of having one over. Plus, Gavin was used to just eating with Geoff and Griffon, not a house of ten that this family have. He wants nothing more but to see Michael's new family and how they lived together.
Miles, Lindsay, and Meg, however, know the history behind Michael and Gavin and know they didn't want Gavin to stay over if it meant Michael would feel uncomfortable and not be himself during family time.
"If it's okay with everyone else?" Kara shrugs. She knows Gavin had to go home for some reason, and knows that Michael was upset earlier, but she didn't get the full story. The last she knew, Michael had no problem with Gavin staying over for dinner.
"And if he wants to?" Gavin pauses from his conversation with Barbara and looks up sheepishly. "If Micool's okay with it, I'd love to." Gavin says with a shy smile.
"Perfect!" Barbara calls out.
"Shut up, Barb." Lindsay says through clenched teeth.
"It's fine, Lindsay." Michael says to her.
"Yeah!" Dan and Ray cheer just as Ryan enters the house.
"RYE BREAD!" All of the kids call as they run over to Ryan with open arms as they always did, hugging him while the younger kids hang off of his arms, Michael did call out his name, but didn't hug him.
"Ah," Ryan smiles as the kids cling to him, "Will you guys ever grow out of this?"
"No," They all answer in unison, causing Ryan, Joel, Kara and Gavin to giggle.
"Alright," Kara claps her hands together, "I need my dining room duty setting the table with one more spot for Gavin."
"Yeah!" Ray and Dan cheer, zooming into the dining room. Barbara shakes her head and follows close behind.
"And I need the teens to either get busy with homework, chores, or helping Joel and Mama cook." She says, turning to Miles, Meg, Michael and Lindsay.
Ryan walks further into their living room as the others let go of him. "I have to clean my room, mum."
"That's fine, Ryan." Kara smiles at her eldest. Ryan nods and makes his way upstairs to his bedroom.
"We'll help you and Jay cook, mum." Lindsay says, grabbing Meg's hand and dragging her into the kitchen.
"Can I help too?" Gavin pipes up.
"Of course, the more the merrier." Joel says, waving for Gavin to join him in the kitchen. Gavin smiles and follows behind Joel.
Michael sighs and makes his way upstairs to his room, Miles following quickly behind him. Kara sighs and follows behind the two teenagers. Once she catches up, Miles is standing outside of Michael's door, knocking softly.
"Michael, come on." Miles sighs. Kara frowns and rubs her hand over her face, maybe she made the wrong decision for Michael's sake.
"Michael." Kara knocks softly on Michael's door. "Come on out, sweetie." She hears Michael shuffling around in his room.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't think it'd bother you." Kara admits. Michael quickly opens the door and shakes his head. He doesn't need Kara thinking it was her fault or that she did something wrong to upset Michael, Kara's never wronged him.
"It's not your fault, Kara." Michael says. "I'm fine." Miles wraps an arm around Michael's shoulders. Kara smiles at the boys and says, "You two can hang up here until dinner's ready or you can help the lot downstairs. We have a lot to make, plenty of mouths to feed."
Miles smiles at Kara and nods. Michael seems more hesitant.
"Come on, Michael. There are like ten other people downstairs beside Gavin. It'll be fine." Miles assures him. Michael thinks for a second before deciding Miles was right, and nods. Kara cheers and leads the two downstairs. As they enter the kitchen Kara claps to get everyone's attention.
"Everyone that's helping cook, wash your hands please!" Kara calls. Lindsay and Meg make their way to the kitchen sink to wash their hands with Gavin following behind them. Dan and Ray are crawling about on the floor as Barbara set the last plate on the large table.
"We want to cook!" Ray calls and he wiggles out from under the table, Dan following closely behind.
"Then wash up, kiddies." Kara repeats. Ray and Dan squeal as they raced each other, waiting in line to wash their hands. Gavin rinses the soap from his hands and picks up the tea towel off of the side to dry his hands. He turns around to see Ray and Dan waiting to wash their hands, but are both too little to reach the tap.
"Can't reach it!" Ray and Dan call aloud, like they usually do when faced with this problem. And as per usual, Miles and Michael come to the rescue. Michael picks up Ray, and Miles picks up Dan, raising them up to wash their hands in the sink. Except, Gavin still stood in front of the sink.
"Gavin." Michael says, no emotion in his voice. Ray laughs as Gavin sheepishly side-stepped out of their way. Michael sits Ray on the counter to the right of the sink, Miles mirroring the action with Dan to the left. The older boys wet, wash, rinse and dry their own hands as well as the younger boys hands quickly and set them back down. Gavin smiles at how well these kids work together. Joel hands Lindsay and Meg vegetables to wash and asks for Ray and Dan to fill two pots with water.
"You got it, Jay!" The two boys and two girls call out and they do what was asked of them. Michael and Miles laugh as they watch the two little ones once again fail to reach the pots on the top shelf and the tap.
"Oh just help them, assholes." Joel laughs. Miles and Michael nod and once again raise the little ones to their destination. "And I'll need the men" Joel said, pointing to Miles, Michael, and Gavin, "To peel and cut the veggies that the ladies washed."
"You got it, Jay." Michael and Miles recite out of habit and take the vegetables from the girls. Gavin chuckles at the saying. Miles brings the vegetables to the large breakfast bar in the middle of the kitchen and sets them down.
"Michael." Miles says, facing Michael who was already picking out vegetable peelers, knives and cutting boards for them. Michael just nods and Miles takes a seat in the middle of the breakfast bar. Gavin sits down to the right of Miles, also waiting for Michael to return. Michael sets down a peeler, a knife, and a cutting board in front of Gavin, Miles and himself. Gavin and Michael both quietly peel potatoes and carrots as Miles engages in a conversation with Lindsay who was stirring a large pot of sauce on the stove. Meg held Ray in her arms as he insisted on stirring the pasta, but again, was too small to reach. Gavin smiles as the family all work together.
"Anything for me to do, Mum?" Ryan asks as he enters the kitchen.
"Uh, not in here." Kara admits. "You could run to the store and grab french bread and napkins, though?"
"Sure." Ryan nods and grabs his keys from the table.
"Here you go, boss." Joel says handing Ryan the money for it. Ryan nods once more and leaves.
"I miss my kids." Joel calls out like he usually does when he feels he hasn't talked to the kids in over thirty seconds. "How was everyone's day?"
"Great, Jay." Ray calls, dropping the wooden spoon into the pot of boiling water and pasta. Meg quickly jumps back to avoid the splash of water from burning her or Ray.
"I got an 'A' in spelling!" Dan yells from the counter.
"Good job, buddy!" Miles calls out and Michael cheers.
"I got a 'C' on that history test, Jay." Lindsay frowns.
"We can't get em all, kid." Joel shrugs nonchalantly.
"But I had Michael up all night to help me study for it!" Lindsay sighs, "Sorry for that, Michael. I kept you up for nothing, didn't I?"
"Forget about it!" Michael replies, reaching over the breakfast bar and pulling her into a hug. He sits back down and smiles at her. "You went to bed ready for that test, you did your best, I'm proud of ya."
"He's right, honey." Kara smiles as she puts the seasoned chicken in the oven.
"Oh!" Kara says, jumping. "Almost forgot! Are you allergic or picky about any foods, Gavin?"
"No, but he doesn't like casserole or pie." Michael responds for Gavin.
Michael suddenly realises what he just said and keeps his eyes down as Gavin, Miles, Lindsay, and Meg look up at him in surprise. Kara looks at Michael, then back at Gavin for assurance. Gavin just clears his throat and nods.
"So chicken with mixed vegetables and pasta is fine?" Kara asks. Gavin nods with a smile.
"That seems to be all my kids eat these days." Kara sighs.
"Nuh uh!" Ray shakes his head. "I like pizza." The kitchen erupts with laughter.
"What?" Ray continues. "Next time Vav comes over for dinner, we're eating pizza!"
"Whatever you want, kid." Joel nods and ruffles Ray's hair. Next time? Michael mentally groans. He doesn't want to speak to Gavin ever again. After what happened in his bedroom earlier, bringing back all of those horrible memories, Michael can hardly stand having Gavin in his home with his family, but he can tell they're starting to like him. Although Miles and Lindsay remain as skeptical as he is just because they're looking out for him.
"Mum, can we go shopping this weekend?" Miles asks suddenly.
"For what?" Kara asks.
"I need new shoes, and other stuff." Miles insists. Kara nods.
"Yeah, we have plenty of errands to run, especially as your new sister gets here this week. Michael, we need to take you to the opticians, sweetheart. You need new glasses." Michael nods, making the mental note to remind her to make the appointment. They all know a new foster kid was coming soon, Kara and Joel have been getting her room ready for the past few weeks.
"Lindsay wants a haircut!" Lindsay chimes in.
"Joel! List!" Kara calls as she turns down the heat on the pasta. Joel turns to the dry erase board on the fridge. Gavin looks up at it to see it has little doodles, a chore chart and to-do list on it and the border is littered with colourful stickers and stamps.
"Lindsay's haircut, Michael's eyeballs, Miles' shoes and 'other stuff'! Got it!" Joel calls and writes those things on the whiteboard. Gavin laughs at Joel's silliness and hands Kara all of his chopped and skinned vegetables. Michael and Miles finish quickly after and do the same.
"Michael, actually," Kara begins, looking at Michael deep in thought. "You think you need a haircut, sweetie?" Michael just shrugs. Gavin secretly hopes he doesn't get it cut too short because he thinks Michaels hair looks good long.
"Michael's haircut." Joel repeats and writes it on the board.
"Is dinner almost ready?" Barbara asks from the living room. "I'm starving."
"In a minute," Joel calls out, "Don't go into the light." he jokes.
"Miles can you help Dan and Ray clean up for dinner? It's just about ready." Kara says, Miles nods, taking Ray from Meg's arms and beckoning for Dan to follow behind them upstairs. Lindsay and Meg also go upstairs, Lindsay grabbing the sleeve of Michael's shirt for him to follow them as well.
"You okay?" Lindsay asks him quietly, as she hears Gavin follow closely behind them.
"I'm fine," Michael shrugs, but they both know he doesn't mean it, and he goes into the bathroom to wash his hands.
Lindsay and Meg wait outside for Michael to finish, and Gavin catches up to them. The silence that fills the hallway is unusual and awkward. Gavin clears his throat.
"Do you two go to the same school as Me and Micool?"Gavin asks. Lindsay shakes her head and squints her eyes at Gavin.
"Barb starts there in September, but he's the only one that goes there for the time being."
"Where do you go?"
"Lindsay and I go to an all-girls school." Meg replies, not really looking at Gavin.
"Ryan goes to the local university and Miles goes to a school near ours." Gavin nods as Michael exits the bathroom and heads back downstairs. Meg and Lindsay go into the bathroom together, wash their hands and quickly escape downstairs. Gavin sighs, he isn't getting along with Lindsay and Meg as well as he'd like and Miles hasn't even spoken a word to him. Gavin washes his hands and returns downstairs. Ray and Dan are chasing each other in circles around the dining table where Lindsay, Meg, Michael, and Miles are sat talking. Joel and Kara are discussing the shopping trip Miles requested earlier, and Barbara is watching a movie in the living room.
"Never a dull moment, eh?" Gavin mutter to himself.
"Okay, children!" Kara calls out and everyone stops what they're doing and looks at her.
"Come get it!" Joel calls out. Ray and Dan quickly sat down and Barbara raced in behind them. Ray sat with an empty seat between himself and Michael, with Dan on the other side.
"Vav!" Ray calls out, getting Gavin's attention. "Sit with me!" Gavin smiles at Ray and makes his way over to him. Michael's eyes go wide as he sees Gavin coming over to sit with him and without a word, Miles stands up and pulls Michael out of his seat.
"Miles," Lindsay begins, "What the hell are you doing?" Miles shoves Michael towards the empty seat next to Meg and mumbles "I wanted to sit here." But Michael knows what Miles is doing, and he nods a silent thank you while flashing him a small smile that still shows off his dimples. Gavin notices what happened as well, and ducks his head to avoid the glare Miles was giving him. All of the teens and kids are sat around the table, well almost all of them, but just as every one sat down Ryan walks into the house.
"Rye Bread!" The table erupts. The lot almost stand up when "Don't even think about it!" Ryan responds, raking his fingers through his hair. Kara smiles at Ryan and motions for him to sit. Ryan sets the bread and napkins in the centre of the table and takes a seat, next to Michael, across from Gavin.
"Okay," Kara smiles and sits beside Joel, "Who hasn't served drinks this week?"
"Miles and Michael." Joel recalls.
"I'll do it." Michael offers as he stands, Miles smiling wide at him in response.
"Since Michael was so kind as to volunteer, I think Miles should do it." Kara teases.
"But he offered!" Miles cries, pointing at Michael. Michael giggles at Miles.
"I'll do it." Gavin offers.
"Don't be ridiculous." Miles' face drops and he goes to get the drinks himself.
Kara and Joel are shocked by Miles' attitude towards Gavin being nice, and the table falls silent.
"Miles, buddy." Joel begins, but Miles was already walking towards the kitchen. Michael reaches out as Miles walks past him and lightly tugs on his shirt, making him turn around and face Joel. Miles has his arms crossed over his chest.
"What's with the attitude?" Joel asks casually.
"Don't know what you're talking about." Miles shrugs.
"Miles," Lindsay and Michael scold simultaneously. They're the level-headed siblings, usually the ones to keep the rest in check.
"Please apologise to Gavin." Kara says.
"For what?" Miles shrugs again.
"Miles!" Michael growls, trying to keep him from getting into any real trouble.
"You were rude to him." Joel reminds Miles.
"I'm sorry, Gavin." Miles mumbles and resumes his walk to the kitchen.
"It's alright. I wasn't offended." Gavin offers with a smile.
The table was still quiet as Michael turns back to sit properly at the table again. Ray is the first to sit up and actually reach for the food in the centre of the table.
"You know, it'd be nice to wait for your brother to come back before you started eating." Joel smiles at the lad. Ray shakes his head and pushes his glasses on properly.
"Miles! You're taking too long! I'm eatin' without you!" Ray calls out to Miles in the kitchen. Everyone at the table laughs and reaches for the food as well. Miles quickly returning with 11 cups, a gallon of water, and a gallon of juice. He pours the usual: Juice for Ray, Dan, Meg, Barbara, himself, and Joel, and water for everyone else.
"Water or juice?" Miles asks Gavin, without looking up at him.
"Just water, thanks." Gavin replies, and he receives a cup of water from Miles. Miles moves the jugs from the table and sits to eat. The house once again is filled with voices and Gavin can barely get a word in to the conversation but he's fine listening.
"Mum, can Kerry come over tomorrow?" Miles asks.
"Maybe, if you clean your room." Kara teases.
"He can't come over," Meg insists, "Jay already said Arryn could come over tomorrow."
"How come the girls can have friends over, but I can't?" Miles whines.
"Kerry's here like every day, Miles." Michael reasons with him.
Gavin smiles as he sees how comfortable Michael is with his new family. They all get along very well and it was beautiful. Neither him or Michael had a big family before, and didn't know what it was like, but Gavin couldn't help but be a bit jealous of Michael for having one now. His parents had to die for him to have a big family, you doughnut. Gavin thinks to himself. But Michael seemed happy enough and that made Gavin happy too. But he's always sad at school, Gavin thought. Maybe it was because none of his brothers and sisters went there. Maybe when Barbara goes next year, he'll be happier. Or maybe he could be Michael's friend again. Maybe Gavin could make Michael happy again, but that was wishful thinking. However, Gavin was grateful that Michael wasn't uncomfortable or upset because Gavin was there, even if he was ignoring Gavin.
"Well what if I said Kerry has to come over for a project?" Miles begins.
"Impossible," Ryan shakes his head, "You two don't have any classes together."
"He could still use my help?" Miles shrugs, still persevering.
"He can come over, Miles." Kara laughs at his effort.
"Our door's always open for anyone, you know that." Joel reinforces.
"Anyone we can fit, anyway." Barbara jokes.
"Especially since Ryan's banned from taking people in the backyard now." Joel adds. Gavin raised his eyebrows in confusion.
"Ryan likes to bury people in the backyard." Ray explains, eating a forkful of pasta. Michael laughs at Ray's explanation of the inside joke, especially since Gavin's eyes grow wide.
"Things!" Ryan calls out "Inanimate objects! I've never buried an animal, let alone a person!"
"Edgar would beg to differ." Michael jokes, making everyone laugh.
"Edgar?" Gavin asks.
"Don't worry about Edgar." Miles tells Gavin, his tone not as harsh but still not nice. "Edgar's protecting you." Miles adds laughing. And anyone who knows Miles, knows that his laugh was the definition of contagious.
"Edgar is the one in the whole!" Lindsay mimics Ryan's Mad Scientist voice, causing another fit of laughs.
"No way in! No way out!" Barbara and Meg chant and everyone laughs harder.
The laughing quickly quietens down and the family go around talking about their day, as they did every evening.
"Well, I was supposed to play games with Miles today," Ray begins, "But he came home late...."
"There's still after dinner, Brown Man. Don't worry." Miles winks at his little brother.
"I had a wonderful day!" Dan calls out, causing everyone to smile.
"I'm glad, sweetheart." Kara says.
"What was the best part?" Joel asks.
"I found out Gavin's from Oxford just like me and nanny!" Dan explains. Lindsay gives Gavin a small smile, at least he made Dan's day.
"Is that so?" Joel asks, Gavin nodded.
"What brought you to the states, Gavin?" Kara asks.
"My parents were too young and my grandparents were too old, so Geoff and Griffon adopted me and brought me home to Austin." Gavin shrugs, that's how he remembered it, and that's what he was told, so that's the story he went with.
"Geoff and Griffon?" Joel drops his fork. "Ramsey?"
Gavin takes a sip of his water and nods.
"I knew it!" Joel stands up quickly and points at Gavin. Everyone else at the table looks at Joel as if he'd finally lost it.
"What you talking bout, Jay?" Michael asks.
"I work with Geoff at Child Protective Services! I know him and his wife Griffon have a son named Gavin and a new baby girl. Millie, right?" Joel explains, sitting back down. Gavin nods. "You work with Geoff?" Joel nods.
"I have for a while now. He's the one who convinced me to actively help kids rather than sit behind a desk all day."
"Joel Heyman?" Gavin practically yells as it clicks. "You used to be an actor!"
The table erupts with laughter again, Joel's kids love making fun of Joel's since dead 'acting career'. Now Joel is a highly credited child psychologist and helped a lot in placing children with abusive backgrounds into loving homes. It wasn't long until he convinced an old co-worker of his, Kara, to help him along the way. Joel nods sheepishly.
"So you know Gus, Burnie, and Matt?" Gavin asks.
Joel nods, "Can't stand 'em!" Gavin laughs at Joel's response.
"What a small world." Joel shakes his head.
"Tell me about it," Michael mutters as he takes a sip of water. After that, all Joel and Gavin could talk about was the work Joel did and Geoff in particular. Everyone else quietly ate and listened. Soon enough, Barbara was the first one to get bored.
"Mum, Jay, may I be excused?" She asks. Kara nods at her.
"Kara?" Michael asks as well, looking up at her. Kara smiles and nodded again.
"Whoever's done may be excused." She declares. Barbara, Miles, Michael, Meg, Ryan, Lindsay, and Dan stand up and clear their plates from the table, taking them to wash off in the sink. Leaving Ray, Joel, Gavin, and Kara still at the table. Kara stands and clears hers and Joel's plate from the table as well. Once the dishes are cleaned and put away, Kara turns to her kids.
"Thank you guys for helping out so much around here. I appreciate it."
"Of course, mum. It's the least we could do." Barbara smiles back at Kara. Kara goes along the line of children, giving them each a hug and a kiss on the forehead. When she gets to Ray she grabs a dish towel and wipes his sauce-covered face with it.
"On your glasses too?" She giggles, taking off Ray's glasses and wiping them off.
"Making a statement, are we?" Ray smiles at Kara and reaches for his glasses back. When Kara gets to Michael she hesitates. Michael isn't one for affection, especially from Joel and Kara, but Michael gives her a warm smile and holds his arms open. Kara's eyes fill with tears as she holds Michael tightly in the first hug she's gotten from the boy in the four years he's lived there.
"Oh, you!" Miles gushes dramatically, clutching his chest, above his heart, "Bring it in for a group hug!" He yells and before Michael can protest, he feels at least eight other pairs of arms holding him tightly, yet lovingly.
"FAMILY!" Joel calls out, trying to hug everyone in the huge group hug. Ryan, however, has slipped away before things got affectionate and snuck upstairs undetected. Gavin can't help but have the widest smile on his face, looking at that family hug.
"Alright." Michael's muffled voice says. "I need oxygen! That's enough."
"Give Michael his space, kids." Kara giggles as the kids leave into different parts of the house. Kara plants a small, loving kiss on Michael's forehead and Michael walks off into the living room with Miles and Ray.
"Gavin, whenever you're ready to go home, let me know." Joel says. Gavin nods.
"I had a lot of fun, thank you" Gavin says as he stands up from the table. Joel nods and looks around for his keys.
"Get your things, and Michael and Joel will take you home." Kara says. Gavin nods, and walks into the living room where Michael was.
Ray and Miles are playing some kind of outdated FPS game, Ray on Michaels lap and Michael and Lindsay just watching.
"I don't think I was being rude!" Miles says and Michael chuckles slightly.
"What? They expect me to be all nice and polite to a dickhead who kissed my brother then broke his heart and left him the night his parents died then thinks he can show up a few years later and pretend he isn't an absolute cunt? What am I supposed to do? Hold his hand and skip around the garden wearing flower crowns and singing fucking shitty pop songs?" He continues and Michael laughs again.
"Just pretend he's not there, Miles. Joel knows his parents and since he got on with Ray and Barb they're probably gonna wanna meet up a lot, so I mean, anything for an easy life." Lindsay says and Michael nods.
"Believe me Miles, I hate it more than you do, every time I look at his fucking face I'm reminded of that night, and I hate him being here, but I don't think he told his parents what he did, so if we say we don't want to hang out with him at all, they're gonna ask questions, and I don't wanna relive what happened again. Besides, I'd rather die than spend unneeded time with him."
Gavin's heart sinks. He didn't mean to hurt Michael so badly, he was just afraid of his feelings. He never wanted to break Michaels heart and he definitely didn't want Michael to hate him. He waits a few minutes before tapping on Michael's shoulder, causing the red-head to look up at him.
"Joel's taking me home now." Gavin says quietly, not missing the way Miles glares at the tv when he hears his voice. Michael nods and leads Gavin upstairs to get his things. Michael turns on his light and opens the door for Gavin.
"We got no math done, but I had a really great time, Micool." Gavin admits. Michael nods absentmindedly, not paying much attention to the Brit, more listening to what he can hear Lindsay and Meg talking about in the next room.
"I'd love to visit again, if that's alright with you." Gavin says.
"Mhmm, whatever, most of my siblings like you, I'm sure they're gonna allow it." Michael crosses his arms over his chest as Gavin chucks his now full bag over his shoulder.
Before Gavin can say more, Michael is leading them back downstairs where Joel is waiting.
"Michael! Michael! Help me!" Ray calls as he jumps up at him, pointing frantically at the TV screen.
"He'll help when he gets back. Miles isn't completely useless either." Joel tells the lad.
"Yeah he is!" Michael calls out, loud enough for Miles to hear.
"Thanks for having my back, brother!" Miles shouts and Michael laughs, putting Ray down and calling out "I'm here for you man!"
Gavin and Michael began to follow Joel out the door when they hear Ray.
"WAIT!" Ray calls, running over to Gavin and hugging his leg tightly. "Bye Gavin!" Gavin smiles, crouches down to Ray's height and hugs him properly.
"See you later, X-ray. Hopefully Micool let's me see you more often." Ray nods and runs back to the couch with Miles. Michael sighs and makes his way to Joel's car.
Joel makes sure the teens are buckled in before he starts the drive to the Ramsey home. They only live a few blocks away, so it isn't very far. Joel, Michael and Gavin get out of the car. Gavin was going to just let himself in, but Joel had other ideas.
Joel stands in front of the two boys and knocks on the door. Michael hides far into Joel's back, not knowing how seeing Geoff and Griffon will make him feel after not having seen them in over three years. Geoff was like a father to Michael before his parents died. Geoff and Griffon were just as much as Michael's parents as they were Gavin's, or at least that's how it felt.
Geoff answers the door and looks at Joel with a confused look.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" He asks.
"I have something of yours." Joel says and he shoves Gavin gently towards Geoff, and it was then that Gavin realised he never told Geoff and Griffon where he'd be after school or that he was staying for dinner.
"Oh!" Geoff yelps. "That's where you were?! Your mother and I were worried sick! Gav- wait..." Geoff still didn't get it. "You kidnapped my kid?" He asks.
"I don't know all the details, but I guess he goes to school with my kid and..." Joel shrugs and Michael comes out from hiding from Geoff. Geoff's jaw drops as he looks at Michael for the first time since his parents' funeral.
"Michael?" Geoff gasps, reaching forwards and pulling Michael into a hug.
"Who's at the door?" Griffon sighs, with a baby in her arms, and she walks over to see for herself. She stops in her tracks at the sight. Joel Heyman, her husband's coworker, her son Gavin, and Michael, the sadly unfortunate yet incredible boy who spent Gavin's first seven years in this country with him and protected him. Her other son, practically.
"Michael, Gavin." Griffon tries making sense of it, "Joel. I."
"What the fuck?" Griffon finally says.
"Millie!" Gavin says happily, taking the small baby from Griffon's arms as Griffon looks at Michael lovingly.
"How've you been, sweetie?" Griffon asks, cupping Michael's face, before pulling him into a hug. Michael shrugs, quickly wrapping his arms around Griffon and hugging her tightly. He's missed her so much, about as much as he misses his real mom.
"I still don't understand." Griffon shakes her head and looks up at Joel.
"Geoff, remember when I told you I finally convinced Kara to help me care for a house full of troubled kids?"
"About 12 years ago?" Geoff asks.
Joel shrugs, "Eh, give or take..." Geoff nods.
"Well, we're still going strong! We currently have eight kids living in that house, and Geoff, let me tell you, It's the best thing in the world."
"I bet." Geoff nods.
"You would not believe it, dad. There's so much love in that house, it's incredible!" Gavin says.
"And you were lucky enough to get Michael in after what happened?" Griffon asks, running her fingers through Michael's curls. Joel smiles at the teen and nods.
"I'm lucky and grateful for all of those kids. I'm nothing without them." Michael smiles back at Joel.
"You like it there, Michael?" Geoff asks.
Michael nods, "My brothers and sisters are pretty cool."
"Micool says they really like me!" Gavin exclaims.
"Now that I don't believe." Geoff jokes. Michael chuckles at Geoff's joke, he hasn't changed.
"I know you were close to Michael when he was younger, and your kid and my kids just hit it off so well. How about we all have dinner together, soon?" Joel offers.
"Really, Jay?" Michael asks Joel, trying to get out of it. "The ten of us, and the four of them? Is that possible?"
"We could go out somewhere." Joel suggests.
Michael and Gavin both scrunch up their noses and shake their heads.
"How about a picnic at the park?" Griffon suggests.
"Perfect!" Joel exclaims.
"When? We're free this weekend." Geoff says.
"I'll get back to you on that, I got a big house Geoff." Joel replies.
"With eight kids, I believe you. You're a miracle worker, Joel."
Joel just shrugs, "I love every second of it."
"I bet you do." Griffon smiles at Michael.
"Well we got to go, Ray's probably killing Miles right now." Joel says, nodding towards his car. Michael nods and gives Griffon and Geoff one last tight hug.
"We'll see you around, buddy. You can come over whenever you like." Geoff tells the teen.
Michael nods at Geoff, even though he knows the only time he's ever going to see them again is if both families go out.
"Just like old times." Griffon smiles at Michael and he feels slightly guilty. He loves Geoff and Griffon, but he still hates Gavin. Gavin hurt him so bad, that's not something you can forgive in a few hours. Joel waves goodbye and leads Michael to the car. Michael gets into the car and stares out of the window at the Ramsey's. Geoff and Griffon are waving Joel and Michael goodbye while Gavin just smiles at Michael. Michael sighs, we're going to be forced to spend so much time together! For fuck sake! Joel starts the car and they make their way home.
"Michaels home!" Miles shouts as soon as Michael walks through the front door and Ray shouts
"Yay!!!" As he runs out of the front room and jumps at Michael.
"Come help me, come help me!" Ray says dragging him to the front room. Michael sits next to Miles on the sofa and Ray climbs on his lap, giving him the controller. Michael helps him beat Miles and Ray grins, hugging him.
"Yay! Mogar can't be beaten!" He yells and Michael laughs.
"Alright X-ray, Mogars going to bed now." Michael says lifting Ray off his lap and going to his room. He collapses onto the bed, dreading tomorrow. Its Friday tomorrow and Michael has maths, with Gavin.
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