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Geoff had called Jack a dumbass. He always called him a dumbass. Jack was one of his idiots after all. But the shake of that beautiful head, the sag of those shoulders, the flinch when he said it, shot right through him. He felt his eyes water and blinked rapidly to will away the tears. Crying wouldn’t help and didn’t need to be done. Not yet. His mouth felt dry and he licked his lips before swallowing, but it didn’t help. His world was still starting to crash around him.
Jack had just silently said he wasn’t Geoff’s dumbass.
He had to just be imagining that right? Jack was Geoff’s first idiot. The first in the collection, the one who remembered what it was like before shit started to get crazy between all of them. He was the one who best knew what to do when Geoff got angry, or sad. The one who could always tell when Geoff needed a little more help with something, or wanted to be left alone. The one who could tell when he needed to just break down sometimes or when he needed something because the damned hangover just wouldn’t leave.
Jack was what kept Geoff solid and standing- he wasn’t going to stop. Was he?
A week after that they’d had a talk during Monty Python. Jack had asked if he wondered what it’d be like without one of his boys. Geoff felt sick. He didn’t like the thought of life without any of them. They were the best people he’d ever met and the most awesome people to work with. When the relationship was still new and not as steady, he used to wonder. For a while, he was convinced that Ryan and Gavin would leave them to be in a relationship by themselves. They were just so happy together. Eventually he saw that they were happiest with everyone too and stopped wondering how he’d get along without them.
He was glad he did when Ryan was the one to step up and offer him a night out drinking, saying Geoff obviously needed a day to just let it all out.The night had been great for drinking and he felt a little better with someone to talk to about all the dumb shit going down. Someone who knew that this couldn’t just be dealt with by “well have you talked to him about it?”. Fucking morons. He’d even cried on Ryan’s shoulder a bit but everything came to a slamming halt when he got that text from Ray.
Jack just left without saying anything. -Ray
He’d screamed shit as loud as he dared and the bar tender had shushed him. If Ryan wasn’t there to diffuse the situation he would have ended up in a bar fight. No one tells him to shut up when his boyfriend has gone missing. He’d tried texting Jack best he could, but it was hard to put his focus into the little electronic. Especially when some assholes wouldn’t take the clear hint that he was not on the market to be picked up. No, he wasn’t here for a pity fuck. No, he could not have a better night with the ginger bitch then he could with his ‘beast’ of a man company. Thank God that Ryan started to shoo them away. He was seriously about to hit one of them. Then came Gavin’s text and he only realized he was shaking when beer spilt onto his hand.
Jack’s key is on the table and he’s not answering. -Gavin
Jack never left his key at home. The other idiots sometimes forgot theirs and he’d always be the one to let them back in because he always had his key. The panic began to sink in and the sound of glass shattering next to him wasn’t helpful. He didn’t even seen that Ryan got hurt and wouldn’t know about it until the following day. He didn’t even hear the warning for him to wait at the bar he just couldn’t sit around anymore.
His boyfriend was missing. His boyfriend was missing.
Geoff was out of the bar and driving down the road before he could even think about it. He wasn’t sure where he was even going, he just needed to find Jack. He needed Jack. But Jack wasn’t answering. Jack was leaving them.
He threatened to call the police in some wayward hope that they’d find him. It was only Ryan that stopped him. Somehow, in a way that didn’t make sense to his alcohol-hazed mind, the man convinced him to pull over. Geoff didn’t even remember getting in the passenger’s seat. Or picking up the boys. Or telling Ryan where the old apartment was.
He did remember the sight of the door open though.
Panic and fury struck again. If anyone had dared to touch one of his idiots they’d lose more than their life tonight. But when he ran in and found Jack on the couch all the panic rushed out. He stood at the end of the couch, glaring at the sleeping man as the other boys rushed over to check on Jack and carry him into the bedroom. He just silently watched them before joining them, halting at the end of the bed to ask Ryan to pack Jack’s shit if he wasn’t going to sleep with them. Jack was coming home. He only waited for confirmation before climbing right on top of Jack. He needed to be able to feel the man’s warmth and hear that beautiful heartbeat.
"When he wakes up, leave us alone to talk okay?" Geoff’s voice was commanding, clearly not wanting any fights. Gavin is the only one who starts to protest but thinks better of it. They boys will leave them alone.
The next morning starts as the worse Geoff has ever had. His head hurts. It’s like someone is kicking his skull from inside his brain and it only fuels his fury more. He pushes Jack down when he tries to sit up because the man is not going anywhere yet. Not until he tells Geoff why. Then he runs his fingers through that scruffy beard, to watch the reaction and prove to himself that the other man is really awake and it’s not just his imagination. Idly, he wishes this was already all passed them so Jack would already be back to taking care of him because as soon as he sits up his head hurts more. Fuck.
Steeling himself against the pain he kisses Jack with everything he’s got, hopelessly wondering if he’s even allowed to kiss him anymore. He sat up and quietly waited while the other boys got up. Then came a conversation he’d rather not ever repeat. Jack was theirs. Thinking he didn’t belong with them even for a moment was dumb as dicks.
It’s a relief when Ryan joins them and tells them everything’s packed. It’s an ever better feeling when Jack cuts him off and tells him that they’re the worst to live with. That they’re the best thing that’s ever happened in his life. Geoff feels like every weight has been lifted off him and he pulls them both close. He can hear the lads out there in their own cuddle pile and he can’t wait to be at home, in one giant fucking mass of boys who have no business cuddling because some of them have some really bony asses.
He can’t wait to be at home with Jack with them because Jack’s an idiot. Geoff has never been happier to say that. He feels like he could giggle about it for days because Jack’s not leaving them. Jack’s not going to leave Geoff with 4 idiots who don’t know their left from their right. And maybe it’s a little selfish to think about it this way but-
Jack’s not going to leave Geoff again.