Fugitive

Andy's heart twanged in his chest and he leapt to his feet, rushing out and checking all the rooms, not sure what he was fearing more: finding the convict had gone, or stumbling over his dead body.

As it was, he skidded to a halt when he got to the bottom of the stairs and saw the man, in nothing but boxers, in his kitchen. He turned around and lifted up a mug and a plate.
"Sorry...I wasn't prying, I wanted to do something, to say thank you." Andy, heart still racing with panic, walked over to him and took the plate which had french toast on it, and a mug containing coffee.

"Oh, thank you." He replied in a small voice, scurrying away to the table to distance himself from the man who still absolutely terrified him.

"No, thank you. I realise what I've asked of you here...and I owe you my life." Andy shook his head bashfully, just trying to break the very direct stare that the other man kept fixed on him.

"No, I do. I would've died last night if it hadn't been for you. Thank you." Andy nodded and started eating, surprised at how good it was. He began eating too, and Andy remembered to scold him.

"Thank you, for this, but you shouldn't have got up. You could rip your stitches again. How's the pain now?"

"Still hurts but...not too bad. I can cope."

"You don't need to cope, there's morphine here."

"I don't like it...clouds my judgement."

"You don't need-" They both jumped to their feet as someone knocked on the door, and Andy gestured for Austin to go to the basement.

"Just coming!" He called as he ushered him down the steps and closed the door behind him.

Andy opened the door and felt nauseous to see a police officer standing there.
"Hello, Mr Biersack?"

"Yes, hello. Can I help, officer?"

"I'm just doing my rounds, making sure everyone's alright. You all the way out here all by yourself, we just wanted to make sure no one had been...disturbing the peace."

"You mean Austin Carlile. I've been watching the news, I've kept everything all locked up." The officer nodded slowly and looked at him for a moment before continuing.

"You look kinda shaken up, you sure everything's ok?"

"Yeah, yeah sorry, I'm working on some stuff right now and it's really stressful cause I'm nowhere near meeting my deadline, y'know? You actually caught me in the middle of an angry spat so.." The officer smiled and nodded, laughing slightly.

"Oh well that's no good, I guess I'd better leave you to it. Just...be sure to umm....I'm sorry, have you got company?" Andy cursed himself mentally when the officer looked round him and saw the two plates on the table.

"I..uh, yes, actually. I do. Umm, date, type, person...."

"And you got in a rage? Good luck recovering from that one." Andy laughed and nodded, the officer left, much to his relief.

Austin came out of the basement, smirking slightly.
"What?! You think this is funny?"

"No, no I'm sorry. But...a date, type, person? That comes into your head before girlfriend?" Andy felt himself turning red and he stuttered to find an answer.

"W-well...whatever, I just saved your ass."

"Yes, yes you did. I guess it's too bad they know what I look like, otherwise seeing me dressed like this, he'd've believed you." With his comment, Andy's eyes were dragged towards his exposed body, just seeing as he'd mentioned it, of course. Still, it did nothing to pale his scarlet cheeks and he glared at the other man slightly.

"Well...whatever, just sit down, if they split again I won't be sewing you up." Austin sat down and Andy could feel him watching him as he cleared up.

"This is a nice house...you live here all by yourself?"

"Yes...I need space. Besides, I figured it would be a good investment." Austin nodded slowly, looking around the vast, open plan living area and garden behind them.

"Still....you must get lonely all the way out here, all by yourself."

"I like the peace and quiet." Andy cursed himself when he heard his own, tense voice answer too quickly.

"Sorry, again I don't mean to pry." Andy sighed but made no further effort to speak until he'd finished cleaning.

"What are....your plans?" Austin looked out to the garden for a few minutes before speaking.

"Leave here, because I think I've imposed enough..I have a...an old acquaintance who owes me a favour. He's got a boat, hopefully he'll get me to Mexico, or somewhere else." Andy nodded slowly.

"When do you plan to do that?"

"I think I'll leave in a couple of hours." Andy was shocked and found himself shaking his head.

"You should a least let the stitches heal, you lost a lot of blood yesterday. You won't make it far." Austin met his eyes for a moment before nodding.

"Thank you." Andy nodded and gestured to the rest of the house.

"I've got stuff to do, but umm..make yourself at home, watch tv- oh, actually, I'll get you some clothes first." Austin waited downstairs for Andy to fetch him some old clothes of his that weren't too small. He thanked god that his ex boyfriend had left a pair of old sweats at his place, or Austin would've been wearing jeans that ended on his shins.

"Thank you."

"Ok, I'll catch up with you later I guess." Andy left, happy to be back in his large office, alone.

It wasn't until a few hours later that there was a knock on his door, and Austin walked in, looking, wide-eyed at the artwork and articles, pages of unfinished stories covering every wall.
"Wow..."

"Something the matter?"

"No, no, sorry to disturb you...I was just curious." He explained, gesturing to the work surrounding them. Andy shrugged and held up his hands.

"Be my guest." He continued sketching, very conscious of Austin's presence in the room. He never usually let people in, much less look around. It was his space, and it held his imagination inside it. He hated anyone being in there, he felt exposed. Somehow, Austin beginning to slowly and carefully examine a pile of his sketchbooks...didn't bother him.

"Vancouver Island...this is a great painting...the surf there's awesome." Andy made no move to show that he'd even heard the other man's words, because it seemed less like he was speaking directly to him, than simply filling the silence.

Andy immersed himself in his sketch so thoroughly, that it made him jump when Austin's voice crept over his shoulder.
"Wow...that's really good." Andy stayed stock still, feeling as though Austin were looking at him in a most vulnerable situation, rather than at one of his drawings.

"...thank you."