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Gregory wasn’t scared of the dark, he hadn’t been for a long time, but since the most shitty recent of events had occurred in his life, he was petrified of an empty room lacking light.
He was trying to sleep in his ‘new’ room. The mattress was a tad lumpy and it was pretty bare, stripped of all character that was there beforehand. The darkness clung to the room like a second skin, enveloping all of Gregory’s fears of what could be hiding in the shadows, by turning the already scarce items into frumpy monsters.
He tossed and turned before cracking one bleary eye in the direction of the lone, rickety chair in the corner. He swears he saw that thing move more than once. His paranoia crept up on him until he was staring face to face with the obvious fact that he would not be getting any sleep tonight.
With a heavy heart and head, he carefully trudged out of the room, mindful of any noise that could potentially disturb Michael and Jeremy.
It was weird living with those two. On one hand it was great, he always had a meal…even though it always came out of a tin. Michael was learning to cook, for everyone’s sake, as with the diet they were currently having, none of them were making it to December.
It’s only been two weeks so far and Gregory is still waiting for the punchline from his endless joke of a life. Nothing has come so far. They haven’t kicked him out, they haven’t been nasty, they don’t hurt him. It’s getting suspicious. Gregory is on his best behavior, by default, but usually true colours shine through eventually. With that in mind, Gregory is placid and half a personality than he was in the Pizzaplex.
He makes it down three steps when he sees the shoddy light shine from the kitchen, illuminating the couch and two silhouettes slouched against each other. A slight snore sounded through the air as Gregory furthered his descent into the living room.
He crept into the kitchen, looking for the newspaper, truly desperate times, that Michael had put down earlier, when he took a quick look back at the pair. He had his suspicions of the two of them, and the scene before him just seemed to confirm them.
They seemed awfully close together, closer than any friendly grown ups he had ever witnessed. They reminded him of Cassie’s parents, when he had been invited to stay at their house a while back. It had been fun playing with Cassie, and her parents moved together with such ease, a quality most of his foster parents lacked.
Michael and Jeremey had the quality in spades, they moved around each other with a familiarity that Gregory flailed at, as he found himself constantly on the verge of not fitting in with them.
In a romantic sense, they moved cautiously around each other, always tip toeing. Gregory wasn’t sure if it was because he was in the house or if they were still in their wishy washy faze. The sight of the two of them slumming it on the couch, a tangle of limbs only confirmed his first suspicion.
They had no problem expressing their love for each other, only not when Gregory was around. His fear, that he so desperately tried to hide was confirmed, he was disturbing their life and would eventually be told to beat it.
He made sure to be extra quiet coming out of the kitchen, yet he evidently wasn’t, as Michael's eyes snapped open with vigor, and zeroed in on him straight away.
He stared at him for a few seconds, while Gregory stood frozen, begging him with his non-existent telepathic powers to go back to sleep.
Unfortunately, he was no Jean Grey, as Michael untangled himself from Jeremy with minimal blushing and made his way into the kitchen.
“Why are you up this late, is everything ok?” Concern leaked into Michael’s tone and Gregory found himself getting a bit warm round the ears.
Even though he knew he’d be back on the streets soon, it was nice that Michael cared for him now.
“Couldn’t sleep.”
Michael squinted his eyes at the non-existent clocks on the wall before taking a quick glance out the window. Since the old rooster wasn’t crowing yet, he placed a tentative hand on Gregory’s back and ushered him towards the stairs.
Gregory snuck a look back at Jeremy, and the way in which his sleeping position seemed to be filling both roles of a two man dance.
“Should we wake him?”
Michael’s tired eyes lingered on Jeremy before he shoook his head. “Nah, you’ve seen his posture. How bad can it get?”
Gregory didn’t comment on his lack of posture, but by the way Michael ruffled his hair, the look he had given him had been enough.
Gregory went back into the dreaded room, slipped under the covers and watched as Michael retreated into the safety of the sweet, sweet light.
Perhaps it was fear, or how very little he’s slept all week, but as the the door was swinging to a close, the words, “Wait!” in a panic tone gargled out his mouth.
The door stopped almost comically and was wretched open. Michael stared at him with very little concealed shock.
“It’s just, um, could you stay for a little while…please? “
Gregory could kick himself. He’s far too needy already and now he has to go and make himself clingy too.
Michael doesn’t say anything, just nods and gestures towards the empty chair, and plonks himself down.
Gregory slowly slips under the covers, squeezing his eyes shut of the embarrassment and illusions. He lasted all of five minutes before he cranked one back open again, only to be met with two glowing orbs staring back at him.
An incredulous laugh took over him, while Michael flashed his also bioluminescent teeth.
“What?” Michael whispered, humour in his tone.
“Your eyes glow in the dark.”.
Gregory was about to ask if Jeremy ever mentioned anything, but the words died on his tongue when he realised he’d have to confront the image of them two in the dark and their shenanigans that came along with that.
Nope. Noooooo. Gregory was ok with the homo energy that exerted from their eyes as they ogled each other all lovely dovey, but he didn’t want to know what the nitty gritty entailed.
“Huh. I never knew. If it bothers you I can close them.”
“Nah. They’re like two scary night lights.”
Everything was quiet for a moment until Michael spoke up hesitantly. “Do you want a night light?”
Gregory opened and closed his mouth several times in a fish-like manner, hoping some response would hook his humiliation and reel him out of this state. Instead, he just shrugged, which Michael couldn’t see in the dark, so awkward silence it would have to be.
After that, Gregory didn’t feel the need to peek at Michael, content with the knowledge that his eerie eyes were watching him. After a while, Michael’s breathing began to lull him to sleep, and he felt his conscious slip from him.
The next day a night light mysteriously appears in his empty socket.
Gregory kept his head down as he quietly shut the front door, mindful of not alerting the house's occupants of his whereabouts.
He wasn’t sneaking out per say, just leaving the house with the intention of coming back…only for a few hours without telling anyone. So maybe he was sneaking out but he had good reason!
Jeremy and Mike continued to tip toe around their affections for each other, so Gregory made the executive decision to leave them alone for a couple hours. Let them do what they need to do without traumatizing Gregory.
His plan was foolproof, except he had no idea where he was wandering too. He didn’t particularly want to make the trek back to the city, and he couldn’t afford the bus. He settled instead on exploring the surrounding area.
The house was plonked in a row of five, with a park in front of them, giving a semblance of privacy while also separating them from the main road. He’d ventured into the park once with Jeremy, while they came back from the only shopping trip they’ve done. It’s not half bad, a bit weedy but nothing a bit of TLC wouldn’t fix.
Behind the house was a small garden that ventured off into a shallow gathering of trees, so his options were very limited. He chose the back entrance in the end, as a lone kid walking on a main road all by himself was sketchy as fuck.
He wandered through the seemingly never ending trees until he deemed one sturdy enough to support his weight. Then, he began his ascent. He had planned to stay out here for a few hours, so he brought his trusty backpack with him. It was knackered and rusty red and, was two gentle tugs away from fluttering to pieces. Gregory believed that the will to live was the only thing keeping him and his backpack together.
Inside the raggedy rucksack was one pen, a chewed up lid for said pen, three sheets of paper and one borrowed book. He had scanned the already bare shelves previously this morning but was disappointed, albeit not shocked, to see nothing that would capture his interest on them. In spite of this, he plucked a leather bound book from its resting place at random, as at that moment footsteps that belonged to Mike bounded up the stairs.
Gregory, happily situated comfortably on the tree, grabbed the book and flipped through the dusty pages. It was clear the story was a well loved one, but Gregory couldn’t make head nor tails of it. He reached the back page when something flew out of it rapidly.
A picture now lay in his lap, and with careful fingers, he quietly inspected it. It was only half a picture, the other half was torn off in a hurry of hate. A woman, who remained faceless, stood proud with two young children in front of her. A solemn looking boy was to the left of her, tightly clutching a plush toy. Beside him was a girl, glaring at the missing person to her left. She had ripe orange hair and had a gleam about her that screamed life.
He was fascinated to know who the picture belonged to, he didn’t believe it could be Jeremy’s or Mike’s. Jeremy was an only child, with parents no longer knocking about. Mike on the other hand never talks about his family, so he had just assumed he didn’t have any.
With the thoughts swirling about his already sleep deprived mind, he didn’t even realise his eyes were fluttering to a close until it was too late to stop himself.
Hours later, when Gregory was fresh with sleep and a crick in his neck, he made his way home. He deemed that he had given them enough time to do whatever shenanigans grown ups get up to.
He creaked open the door to see if he was in the all clear, and once satisfied, he crossed into the threshold. He let his bag sag onto the floor as he made his way into the kitchen. He could hear frazzled voices as he rounded into the room.
Once he entered the doorway, two sets of eyes flung themselves in his direction. Jeremey let his favourite mug slip to the floor. Mike looked like he had seen the ghost, he then shook himself firmly out of his trance before zeroing in on Gregory.
“Where were you?” Mike asked in a strained voice.
Gregory looked at him. Mike seemed as if he was constipated, which was weird. You’d think he’d be happy with a free evening without kids. Instead, it looked like ten years had been added to himself.
“I was out in the garden.”
“What were you doing there!?” Cried out Mike. Gregory took a step back in shock. Not from the level of his voice, but from the pure, unfiltered worry coating every letter in a sticky, sweet catastrophe.
“I was giving you and Jeremy some space.” Gregory replied back defensively. He didn’t do anything wrong, he didn’t know why those two kept staring at him like he did. He hated that feeling, it made his skin crawl as if a hundred tingly spiders were dancing across him.
Jeremy placed a hand on Mike’s shoulder and gave Gregory a warm, if not shaky, smile.
“We’re not mad Gregory, we just thought you did a runner on us. It’s ok, it’s just next time tell us please, I wouldn’t rock a grey head of hair.”
Gregory knew what he did wasn’t exactly ideal and could probably be heart attack inducing to parents if their child went randomly missing one morning. Yet, he wasn’t their child and they weren’t his parents. The fact sent a sad pang ricocheting throughout him,
There was no denying the truth though, so because of this, Gregory felt inclined not to apologise. He did it for a good cause! Besides, Mike’s not his dad, just the weird security guard that took him in as a stray.
“I was only trying to help you two!” He says defensively. They should be a little more grateful. Al thought his reasons for straying weren’t all that selfish. He was sick of seeing them throw love hearts at each other whenever their eyes met.
“Help us with what?”
“You know, getting some alone time.”
“Why would we need that?” Mike questions with a snort.
Gregory gave them a look. Eugh, did he really have to spell this out.
“Look, I know you two are gay.”
Mike chokes air while Jeremy begins to wave his hands frantically.
“WOAH—we’re not—I mean I’m not—NOT THAT THERE’S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT!”
Mike’s too busy coughing on nothing to respond. Jeremy focuses his full attention on Mike, trying to convey his disagreement or something. Gregory just knows that the spotlight isn’t on him anymore. So, as he watches the shit show unfold, he carefully takes a few steps back before legging it up the stairs.
Gregory ventures down into the kitchen for dinner a while later, when he spots those two holding hands and smiling shyly at each other. He grins smugly the entire dinner, even when Mike, Mike the guy who has never followed a rule a day in his life, sets down a whole bunch of laws of their new ‘home’, while simultaneously lecturing him about irresponsibility. He once watched Mike stick a fork in the toaster to get out a crust but apparently he’s irresponsible for doing some exploring.
Apparently they were five minutes away from calling the authorities when Gregory sauntered in. Thankfully, that didn’t happen, because that would be a whole other circus act that no one wants to witness.
That night, when Gregroy was on the cusp of sleep, the door creaked open. Before he even had the chance to turn around, Mike swooped down, ruffling his hair while whispering good night. With his exit, Gregroy knew all grievances were forgiven.