Fanfic: Settle In, I'm here to Stay - Chapter Eight
Title: Settle In, I'm here to Stay
Author: ilcocoabean
Fandom: Achievement Hunter RPF
Character(s)/ Pairing(s): Dan/Ray, Michael/Gavin, implied Dan/Gavin, implied Ray/Gavin, past Ray/Michael, Joel, Jack, Geoff, Ryan, Caleb
Genre(s): AU, Angst, General, Slash, Romance
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,142/?
Summary: Achievement City's been pretty quiet since Ray's arrival, so of course, they're due for another visitor.
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use.
Warnings: Character deaths, adult language, and violence.
Note: Annndddd the next chapter! Arguments are had, blood is spilled and somehow things get resolved. Might write another sidefic of a particular scene that gets pushed aside but I'm not sure yet. We shall see.
AO3: One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine |
LJ: One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine |
Chapter Eight
Gavin came to visit him later that night. He had a pillow and an extra blanket in his hands. “I convinced the priest to put something in Michael's food so he could sleep. So now you've got me for tonight!”
“Michael's going to be pissed.” Ray said shaking his head.
“Well, he said we'd take turns last night watching over you but then he just let me sleep!” Gavin made a face. “Selfish pleb.”
“Pleb?” Ray asked with a grin.
“What?” Gavin was arranging the furniture around the chair. “Damn, should have brought another blanket.”
“Just take the bed,” Ray said. “I slept too much anyway.”
“No!” Gavin said forcefully. “You need sleep. Sleep and rest because you... You are an idiot.”
A confused silence followed and Ray narrowed his eyes slightly. Gavin was standing still as he stared down at his makeshift bed. Was he still...? Ray shook his head.
“Gavin...” Ray began. “I'm fine. Besides it all worked out.”
“That doesn't matter. You went in without a plan, like a stupid little git and, and-did you even think? They had wolves! Eight of them, at least. And you just... Ray...” Gavin's fists clenched tightly. “Can you please not do that again?”
Ray was taken aback. He had never seen Gavin this upset before. Usually whenever he was annoyed, it was because of silly things like Michael stealing his iron, or when Ray rearranged some of his art pieces in different places. His voice would get high-pitched and whiny and it was fun to hear him complain about whatever wrong was done to him.
This was different however. From his angle Ray could see that Gavin was frowning and the normal mischievous glint in his eye was replaced with something that looked close to rage.
“What?” Ray asked. “Try not to die?”
Clearly that was the wrong thing to say because in the next moment Gavin was shaking with fury.
“Stop trying to do everything!” Gavin shouted, finally turning to him. “Yes you're good at everything. And yes nothing ever happens to you but damn it Ray, you got hurt, and you couldn't move and if Michael hadn't gotten to you then, then...” Gavin took a steadying breath. “You're my friend and if you got hurt because of me-”
“This wasn't because of you,” Ray cut in. “I decided to go in-”
“Yes, but the only reason you did that was because you were here in the first place and if you had just stayed home you wouldn't be-”
“Shut up,” Ray interrupted. “We are not going down that road where each of us tries to take the blame. Can we just, forget it?”
“Not until, you promise.” Gavin said stubbornly.
“Man, you are...” Ray sighed. “Look, I'll try.”
Gavin set his jaw and crossed his arms. “Not good enough.”
Ray rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in the arm. “Fine! I promise I won't do something stupid and instead we'll plan like a team or whatever and maybe Michael will make cookies and I'll make you a crown of flowers. There, happy?”
Gavin looked dubious but then he smiled a little. “Can it be a crown of roses?”
“Fuck no,” Ray replied reaching out to punch him in the arm. “You're getting daisies, I'll get a crown of roses.”
. . .
The next time Ray awoke he found himself snuggling into a warm body. There was a scent of copper in the air and as he turned over, trying to identify it, he saw stream of light shine onto his face. He groaned and flapped around for a blanket to pull over his head.
When he couldn't find one, he squinted and saw that it was currently wrapped in a bundle around the person he'd been cuddling up into. Said person mumbled before moving to turn toward him.
“Gavin?” Ray asked. He looked down at himself and his eyes widened. “Oh fuck. Where are my clothes?”
“Whasit?” Gavin was blinking awake.
“We didn't.” Ray said, voice raising to a shrill. “No. We didn't. Right? Tell me you and I-oh god Michael's going to kill me.”
“What are you on about?” Gavin sat up and Ray noticed he was missing his shirt too.
“Oh fuck. Gavin, did you get me drunk? Oh god, you put something in my food didn't you?”
“Calm down!” Gavin scrubbed his eyes. “It was only to make you sleep. And we didn't do anything. God, what time is it?”
Ray sagged in relief and then glanced at the clock. “A little after dawn.”
“Ugh,” Gavin flopped back down onto the bed. “I'm going back to sleep then.”
Ray took a deep breath and noticed the coppery scent he'd smelled before was still there. He looked down, squinting before reaching over to the table for his glasses. “Wait, Gavin...” Ray reached out. “You're bleeding.”
“Must have pulled off the bandage in my sleep or something.” Gavin wriggled his arm back under the blankets. “ 's fine. Let me sleep.”
Ray frowned and after a brief struggle with a sleepy Gavin he managed to pull his arm back out to inspect his skin which was now aflame and bleeding profusely.
“The fuck is that?” Ray scrambled out of the bed. “Jesus Gavin did you scratch yourself too?”
“What?”
Ray moved around the room, cursing when the basin of water that'd been there last night was suddenly gone. “I'll get the priest. He should have bandages right?”
Gavin sat up. “Ray. Stop. Wait. Just get me my bag.”
“Do you have bandages in there?” He moved to the bag lying by the door and began to rifle through it, looking for the cloth in question. “I should go get water too. Wait here I'll-”
“Ray,” Gavin cut in. “Just give me my bag.”
Frowning, Ray did as he was told and waited as Gavin moved through the items before producing a bottle.
“Isn't that...?”
“Potion of regeneration.” Gavin nodded with a grimace. “Yeah. One of those bandits had potions as well. Poison. Been working it out of my system for the past couple days but I ran out. Had to ask the priest for another one. Must have forgotten to take it last night” He uncorked the bottle and took a gulp from it. “See?” The wound slowly began to close. “Good as new.”
Ray was quiet for only a moment before he asked. “You were poisoned?”
“Yeah.”
“By a bandit?”
“Yeah.”
“When were you going to tell me?” Ray asked. “Man, you-you are a... wily one.”
Gavin's face scrunched up in confusion. “Did you just call me 'wily'?”
“Yeah, I think he did.”
Ray looked up and froze. Michael was standing in the doorway, holding a plate of cookies in his hand and wearing a worryingly neutral expression on his face.
“It's not what it looks like.” Ray raised his hands. “I swear.”
.
“You should have seen the look on your face,” Michael laughed.
“He was cacking his pants wasn't he?” Gavin giggled.
“You two are the worst,” Ray announced. “And you like boys. Both of you.”
“Wow.” Michael put a hand up to his heart. “I'm hurt. Right here Ray, it hurts.”
“Yeah, fuck off.”
Ray shook his head and pulled his shirt over his head. He eyed his friends in the corner who were still cackling on the bed, and were now flicking cookies at each other. At least they weren't angry or worried anymore. Michael looked rested (either he wasn't aware that Gavin had slipped him something or he was just choosing not to talk about it) and the bandage on his hand had been replaced by a smaller one which meant either the priest worked some potion into him or maybe-
Ray looked over at Gavin and his potion and suddenly grinned. Yeah. Definitely wily.
. . .
By noon Ray had to insist to the priest that he was fine. The potion had done its work and the bandage Dan had put on the night before was definitely unnecessary by now, given how well the cut had healed. Speaking of which...
“Where's Dan?” He asked, turning to Gavin.
“Dunno,” Gavin shrugged. “Haven't seen him since...” He frowned. “Huh. He wasn't at dinner last night so since breakfast yesterday?”
“I saw him at lunch,” Michael supplied.
“He brought me dinner,” Ray nodded.
“He brought you dinner?” Gavin echoed, incredulous. “What? When was that?”
“Last night,” Ray replied. “So he's been gone all morning or since last night.”
“Your friend has been reconstructing houses.” The blacksmith walked in, wiping his forehead. “He's a good worker by the way. Been a real help.”
“Huh.” Ray nodded a little in confusion. “Has he had lunch then?”
“The town's all having a picnic in the square. He should be there since the farmers were dragging him there, the last time I saw him.”
.
“Look!” Gavin pulled on Michael's arm. “They've got steak and cooked fish and oooh, they've got porkchops too.”
Ray shook his head and watched as the other two walked off in the direction of the food table. The blacksmith hadn't exactly been right about the picnic. It looked like a small fair had come to the village. There were tables lined up with food and a group of children were running in and out of the crowd chasing after a chicken. All the square needed was streamers and a few game stalls before it looked like a proper festival.
But that wasn't why Ray was here. He looked around trying to spot Dan. He owed the poor guy an apology after last night.
He weaved through the crowd (it was surprising to see the number of people around because hadn't half the town been under siege just three days ago?), looking for the familiar head of black hair. When he couldn't find him, he asked the farmers and they enlisted in the hunt for Dan.
However since most of them were drunk, they weren't of much help. After an hour or so of walking down paths and coming up with nothing, Ray headed for the edge of the village, yearning for a little peace and quiet from the ruckus of the square.
He should have known to find Dan there. The slightly taller man was leaning on a fence, staring out into the horizon with a hoe propped up beside him. Ray walked towards him, and stood a little behind him. He looked out as well and his jaw dropped slightly at the large fields of growing wheat.
“Did you help with this?” Ray blurted out.
Dan started and looked over at him in surprise. He nodded, a little jerky in his movements as he moved to stand a little straighter. “Yeah. I wanted to help.”
Ray moved forward to inspect the field further. There were steady channels of water running through the farms. No, Ray squinted. They weren't running. It was still water. “How many buckets of water did that take?”
Dan laughed sheepishly. “A lot.”
.
By the time they made it back to the village, dusk was already upon them and the “picnic” had been moved indoors. Most of the people had converged in the priest's home which was by far, still the largest building and the most intact.
Ray maneuvered his way through the people, ignoring the calls of Gavin and Michael who were on the other side of the room, drinking with the farmers. He quickly made his way up the stairs and shut himself in his room. What he didn't expect was for Dan to show up not much later, balancing two plates of food and drinks.
Moving quickly to help relieve him, he set the plates on the table and unable to help himself, grimaced at the cups. “I don't-”
“-drink,” Dan finished. “Yeah, Gav told me. I brought you some water.”
Slightly touched by the thought and a little confused that Gavin was still sober enough to give out correct information, Ray helped himself to a plate and began to eat. He'd worked himself quite an appetite while looking for Dan.
Oh. Right. He hadn't apologized yet. He swallowed a large bite of food. “Hey, Dan. Um. Look about what I said the other night... I was an ass. I didn't mean it. Well I did mean it before but not now.” Ray fought the urge to smack his forehead but trudged on. “I know everyone's been treating you like a stranger and Michael gave you shit before so me doing that too must have sucked. What I'm trying to say is-”
“It's all right,” Dan cut in. “It's fine.”
Ray eyed the man sitting across from him. He was a little hunched over and his hands were clasped around his plate but he was smiling.
“Yeah?”
Dan nodded. “Yeah, it's fine.”
Author: ilcocoabean
Fandom: Achievement Hunter RPF
Character(s)/ Pairing(s): Dan/Ray, Michael/Gavin, implied Dan/Gavin, implied Ray/Gavin, past Ray/Michael, Joel, Jack, Geoff, Ryan, Caleb
Genre(s): AU, Angst, General, Slash, Romance
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,142/?
Summary: Achievement City's been pretty quiet since Ray's arrival, so of course, they're due for another visitor.
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use.
Warnings: Character deaths, adult language, and violence.
Note: Annndddd the next chapter! Arguments are had, blood is spilled and somehow things get resolved. Might write another sidefic of a particular scene that gets pushed aside but I'm not sure yet. We shall see.
AO3: One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine |
LJ: One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine |
Chapter Eight
Gavin came to visit him later that night. He had a pillow and an extra blanket in his hands. “I convinced the priest to put something in Michael's food so he could sleep. So now you've got me for tonight!”
“Michael's going to be pissed.” Ray said shaking his head.
“Well, he said we'd take turns last night watching over you but then he just let me sleep!” Gavin made a face. “Selfish pleb.”
“Pleb?” Ray asked with a grin.
“What?” Gavin was arranging the furniture around the chair. “Damn, should have brought another blanket.”
“Just take the bed,” Ray said. “I slept too much anyway.”
“No!” Gavin said forcefully. “You need sleep. Sleep and rest because you... You are an idiot.”
A confused silence followed and Ray narrowed his eyes slightly. Gavin was standing still as he stared down at his makeshift bed. Was he still...? Ray shook his head.
“Gavin...” Ray began. “I'm fine. Besides it all worked out.”
“That doesn't matter. You went in without a plan, like a stupid little git and, and-did you even think? They had wolves! Eight of them, at least. And you just... Ray...” Gavin's fists clenched tightly. “Can you please not do that again?”
Ray was taken aback. He had never seen Gavin this upset before. Usually whenever he was annoyed, it was because of silly things like Michael stealing his iron, or when Ray rearranged some of his art pieces in different places. His voice would get high-pitched and whiny and it was fun to hear him complain about whatever wrong was done to him.
This was different however. From his angle Ray could see that Gavin was frowning and the normal mischievous glint in his eye was replaced with something that looked close to rage.
“What?” Ray asked. “Try not to die?”
Clearly that was the wrong thing to say because in the next moment Gavin was shaking with fury.
“Stop trying to do everything!” Gavin shouted, finally turning to him. “Yes you're good at everything. And yes nothing ever happens to you but damn it Ray, you got hurt, and you couldn't move and if Michael hadn't gotten to you then, then...” Gavin took a steadying breath. “You're my friend and if you got hurt because of me-”
“This wasn't because of you,” Ray cut in. “I decided to go in-”
“Yes, but the only reason you did that was because you were here in the first place and if you had just stayed home you wouldn't be-”
“Shut up,” Ray interrupted. “We are not going down that road where each of us tries to take the blame. Can we just, forget it?”
“Not until, you promise.” Gavin said stubbornly.
“Man, you are...” Ray sighed. “Look, I'll try.”
Gavin set his jaw and crossed his arms. “Not good enough.”
Ray rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in the arm. “Fine! I promise I won't do something stupid and instead we'll plan like a team or whatever and maybe Michael will make cookies and I'll make you a crown of flowers. There, happy?”
Gavin looked dubious but then he smiled a little. “Can it be a crown of roses?”
“Fuck no,” Ray replied reaching out to punch him in the arm. “You're getting daisies, I'll get a crown of roses.”
. . .
The next time Ray awoke he found himself snuggling into a warm body. There was a scent of copper in the air and as he turned over, trying to identify it, he saw stream of light shine onto his face. He groaned and flapped around for a blanket to pull over his head.
When he couldn't find one, he squinted and saw that it was currently wrapped in a bundle around the person he'd been cuddling up into. Said person mumbled before moving to turn toward him.
“Gavin?” Ray asked. He looked down at himself and his eyes widened. “Oh fuck. Where are my clothes?”
“Whasit?” Gavin was blinking awake.
“We didn't.” Ray said, voice raising to a shrill. “No. We didn't. Right? Tell me you and I-oh god Michael's going to kill me.”
“What are you on about?” Gavin sat up and Ray noticed he was missing his shirt too.
“Oh fuck. Gavin, did you get me drunk? Oh god, you put something in my food didn't you?”
“Calm down!” Gavin scrubbed his eyes. “It was only to make you sleep. And we didn't do anything. God, what time is it?”
Ray sagged in relief and then glanced at the clock. “A little after dawn.”
“Ugh,” Gavin flopped back down onto the bed. “I'm going back to sleep then.”
Ray took a deep breath and noticed the coppery scent he'd smelled before was still there. He looked down, squinting before reaching over to the table for his glasses. “Wait, Gavin...” Ray reached out. “You're bleeding.”
“Must have pulled off the bandage in my sleep or something.” Gavin wriggled his arm back under the blankets. “ 's fine. Let me sleep.”
Ray frowned and after a brief struggle with a sleepy Gavin he managed to pull his arm back out to inspect his skin which was now aflame and bleeding profusely.
“The fuck is that?” Ray scrambled out of the bed. “Jesus Gavin did you scratch yourself too?”
“What?”
Ray moved around the room, cursing when the basin of water that'd been there last night was suddenly gone. “I'll get the priest. He should have bandages right?”
Gavin sat up. “Ray. Stop. Wait. Just get me my bag.”
“Do you have bandages in there?” He moved to the bag lying by the door and began to rifle through it, looking for the cloth in question. “I should go get water too. Wait here I'll-”
“Ray,” Gavin cut in. “Just give me my bag.”
Frowning, Ray did as he was told and waited as Gavin moved through the items before producing a bottle.
“Isn't that...?”
“Potion of regeneration.” Gavin nodded with a grimace. “Yeah. One of those bandits had potions as well. Poison. Been working it out of my system for the past couple days but I ran out. Had to ask the priest for another one. Must have forgotten to take it last night” He uncorked the bottle and took a gulp from it. “See?” The wound slowly began to close. “Good as new.”
Ray was quiet for only a moment before he asked. “You were poisoned?”
“Yeah.”
“By a bandit?”
“Yeah.”
“When were you going to tell me?” Ray asked. “Man, you-you are a... wily one.”
Gavin's face scrunched up in confusion. “Did you just call me 'wily'?”
“Yeah, I think he did.”
Ray looked up and froze. Michael was standing in the doorway, holding a plate of cookies in his hand and wearing a worryingly neutral expression on his face.
“It's not what it looks like.” Ray raised his hands. “I swear.”
.
“You should have seen the look on your face,” Michael laughed.
“He was cacking his pants wasn't he?” Gavin giggled.
“You two are the worst,” Ray announced. “And you like boys. Both of you.”
“Wow.” Michael put a hand up to his heart. “I'm hurt. Right here Ray, it hurts.”
“Yeah, fuck off.”
Ray shook his head and pulled his shirt over his head. He eyed his friends in the corner who were still cackling on the bed, and were now flicking cookies at each other. At least they weren't angry or worried anymore. Michael looked rested (either he wasn't aware that Gavin had slipped him something or he was just choosing not to talk about it) and the bandage on his hand had been replaced by a smaller one which meant either the priest worked some potion into him or maybe-
Ray looked over at Gavin and his potion and suddenly grinned. Yeah. Definitely wily.
. . .
By noon Ray had to insist to the priest that he was fine. The potion had done its work and the bandage Dan had put on the night before was definitely unnecessary by now, given how well the cut had healed. Speaking of which...
“Where's Dan?” He asked, turning to Gavin.
“Dunno,” Gavin shrugged. “Haven't seen him since...” He frowned. “Huh. He wasn't at dinner last night so since breakfast yesterday?”
“I saw him at lunch,” Michael supplied.
“He brought me dinner,” Ray nodded.
“He brought you dinner?” Gavin echoed, incredulous. “What? When was that?”
“Last night,” Ray replied. “So he's been gone all morning or since last night.”
“Your friend has been reconstructing houses.” The blacksmith walked in, wiping his forehead. “He's a good worker by the way. Been a real help.”
“Huh.” Ray nodded a little in confusion. “Has he had lunch then?”
“The town's all having a picnic in the square. He should be there since the farmers were dragging him there, the last time I saw him.”
.
“Look!” Gavin pulled on Michael's arm. “They've got steak and cooked fish and oooh, they've got porkchops too.”
Ray shook his head and watched as the other two walked off in the direction of the food table. The blacksmith hadn't exactly been right about the picnic. It looked like a small fair had come to the village. There were tables lined up with food and a group of children were running in and out of the crowd chasing after a chicken. All the square needed was streamers and a few game stalls before it looked like a proper festival.
But that wasn't why Ray was here. He looked around trying to spot Dan. He owed the poor guy an apology after last night.
He weaved through the crowd (it was surprising to see the number of people around because hadn't half the town been under siege just three days ago?), looking for the familiar head of black hair. When he couldn't find him, he asked the farmers and they enlisted in the hunt for Dan.
However since most of them were drunk, they weren't of much help. After an hour or so of walking down paths and coming up with nothing, Ray headed for the edge of the village, yearning for a little peace and quiet from the ruckus of the square.
He should have known to find Dan there. The slightly taller man was leaning on a fence, staring out into the horizon with a hoe propped up beside him. Ray walked towards him, and stood a little behind him. He looked out as well and his jaw dropped slightly at the large fields of growing wheat.
“Did you help with this?” Ray blurted out.
Dan started and looked over at him in surprise. He nodded, a little jerky in his movements as he moved to stand a little straighter. “Yeah. I wanted to help.”
Ray moved forward to inspect the field further. There were steady channels of water running through the farms. No, Ray squinted. They weren't running. It was still water. “How many buckets of water did that take?”
Dan laughed sheepishly. “A lot.”
.
By the time they made it back to the village, dusk was already upon them and the “picnic” had been moved indoors. Most of the people had converged in the priest's home which was by far, still the largest building and the most intact.
Ray maneuvered his way through the people, ignoring the calls of Gavin and Michael who were on the other side of the room, drinking with the farmers. He quickly made his way up the stairs and shut himself in his room. What he didn't expect was for Dan to show up not much later, balancing two plates of food and drinks.
Moving quickly to help relieve him, he set the plates on the table and unable to help himself, grimaced at the cups. “I don't-”
“-drink,” Dan finished. “Yeah, Gav told me. I brought you some water.”
Slightly touched by the thought and a little confused that Gavin was still sober enough to give out correct information, Ray helped himself to a plate and began to eat. He'd worked himself quite an appetite while looking for Dan.
Oh. Right. He hadn't apologized yet. He swallowed a large bite of food. “Hey, Dan. Um. Look about what I said the other night... I was an ass. I didn't mean it. Well I did mean it before but not now.” Ray fought the urge to smack his forehead but trudged on. “I know everyone's been treating you like a stranger and Michael gave you shit before so me doing that too must have sucked. What I'm trying to say is-”
“It's all right,” Dan cut in. “It's fine.”
Ray eyed the man sitting across from him. He was a little hunched over and his hands were clasped around his plate but he was smiling.
“Yeah?”
Dan nodded. “Yeah, it's fine.”