“You hungry after all?” Gabriel asked him.

“No, no. I’m wondering are the buses still running?” Will checked his phone, squinting at the time. Ah, it was a toss up.

“Why?”

“I can probably crash at Dune’s.”

The bed creaked as Gabriel got up. Will was turning the handle when his wrist was caught once more.

“What do you mean crash at Dune’s?” Gabriel’s voice had an edge.

Will jolted, turning around to see an angry Gabriel. “His place is closer than mine,” Will faltered.

“We’re not having sex, so you’re going to Dune instead?”

Will’s haze evaporated. He stiffened. “No! I just want to crash there, nothing else.”

“And what exactly is wrong with this bed?” Gabriel gestured broadly behind him. “It works perfectly well for sleeping as well.”

Will’s stomach dropped. He cursed at himself inside. What the hell was wrong with him? “I’m sorry,” He said quickly. “You’re right.”

Gabriel ran his hand through his hair, vexed. “Look,” his voice was strained. “If you don’t want to spend the night with me, its fine. I can sleep in the room next door.”

“No! No, it isn’t that.” Will caught Gabriel’s arm as he was moving past him to the door. Clumsy, he ended up punching the door handle. “Ow—Fuck.” Pain shot up his wrist, into his elbow. That cut through his drunk haze pretty damn quick. He stuffed his other hand into his mouth, biting down on his fingers as he shook his hurt hand out.

Gabriel, after startling at Will’s curse, reached for his hand.

“Did you catch it funny?”

“I punched the door.” Will grit his teeth. If anything, the pain was a good thing. His thoughts were in the here and now, and Gabriel was not about to sleep in the guest room of his own home because Will was being a drunk idiot. “I’m drunk, I’m stupid, I was thinking of my car, and morning classes, and I swear it is not because I don’t want to spend the night. I’m sorry, I’m really sorry, that was a shitty thing to say.”

It was as if Will had said the only reason he came here was for sex.

No. It wasn’t ‘as if’, he had said that.

Jesus, no wonder Gabriel was upset.

Despite the fact that Will was a complete asshole Gabriel was seriously looking for damage on his hand, nothing but concern on his face. He stretched out Will’s fingers. “Does that hurt?”

If Will said yes, would Gabriel keep holding his hand? “It’s okay.”

Gabriel let his hand go. He met Will’s eyes, reading his expression. Will couldn’t tell if he was satisfied with the apology or not. He bit his lip. “I can stay out there, if you’d prefer.” He didn’t like suggesting it, but it was only fair. This was Gabriel’s house. Will was in the wrong.

Gabriel, after another second, seemed to deflate. The tension around his eyes remained. Will got the impression Gabriel wasn’t letting the topic go, rather shelving it for another time. “I’d prefer you sleep here,” Gabriel said, his voice tired. “Do you want ice for that?”

His broad gesture was all encompassing. Attempting to lighten the mood, Will raised an eyebrow. “If it’s bothering you that much?”

Gabriel had a rueful smile, and he let out an amused breath. “Don’t complain to me if your hand is hurting in the morning.”

Will followed him to the bed, climbing in on the far side. Gabriel got the light. They lay on respective sides of the bed, but it felt so wrong and alien to Will being this far apart that he shuffled over. He was careful not to actually reach for Gabriel, not wanting to give the impression he was making a move when Gabriel clearly wasn’t in the mood for it. And, to be totally honest, Will wasn’t exactly feeling up for sex anymore either. The awkward encounter from just now was burning his mind.

Gabriel let out a casual sigh, and rolled toward Will. His arm rested over Will’s waist, his body slotting perfectly against his.

Will smiled to himself. “Do you want ice for that?” He teased.

Gabriel grumbled. “Go to sleep.” But Will could hear the smile in his voice.