A newly converted rat has a birthday

[inthesaferoom]

Let's hope no ghosts or babies crash the party. Maybe babies I guess, as long as they stay on the insides.

Comments

definitely a blast 👀 idk why I’m rambling here blabahshdkala

[ratmanreed]

[ Gavin starts wriggling pretty early in the morning. He woke up earlier in the night to see Mike gone again, and as sad-slash-irritated as that made him, he knew Mike had to do his thing. His ghostie thing.

That gave him some time to get stuff ready in the kitchen, at least.

Now: yes, still wriggling. But Gavin doesn’t say anything; can’t just tell Mike to let go. It’s nice. Warm. Waking up to Mike in bed, after he’d disappeared in the night, is cathartic for Gavin.

Spoiling himself, really, with all these cuddles. Easing Mike’s hand down to his stomach… for no reason in particular. Gavin’s usually ticklish there, but not today — or not right now, anyway. Odd.

But he doesn’t think much about it. Tries to ignore, too, that little voice at the back of his head telling him to raid the freezer for the various spoons and measuring utensils he set with chocolate sauce last night. As he does every day now. Maybe it’s his body’s coping mechanism after he quit drinking so much? Needing something to obsess over?

For a few more minutes, at least, Gavin will keep the chocolate craving monster at bay. Rubbing small circles against Mike’s hand with his thumb as he closes his eyes again. ]

[inthesaferoom]

[ It's the last, uh, 'ghostie' trip. He's determined about that. He feels extremely guilty too, and it affects his dreams, but when he opens his eyes to see Gavin's face? All those pesky bad dreams instantly fade away.

He presses his hand a little more firmly against his stomach, not sure why he's drawn to doing that to the guy, but it feels right. Leaning in close, Mike presses his lips to Gavin's ear. ]

Good... Noon, probably? Hi.

[ratmanreed]

Hi.

[ Gavin could ask Mike why he’s so fucking cute, but he asks that a lot, doesn’t he? ]

Good noon, yeah. Probably.

[ He moves his hand down to Mike’s wrist. Tugging ever so slightly. ]

Wasn’t trying to wake you. Was trying to escape without waking you, actually. I like watching you sleep. You look… peaceful.

But. As cute and peaceful as you look —

[ Gavin tilts his head to meet Mike’s. Rubbing against his hair. Absolutely not like a cat. Nope. ]

I gotta get some things done. Going. Whatever.

[inthesaferoom]

What things?

[ Sorry, he's currently forgetting what day it is. Or maybe he doesn't care? It's not like he ever does much. Laying in bed with him is a great present already. Who cares if it happens a lot?

Mike smiles at the catlike action and he doesn't hesitate to state a similar thing to what Gavin held back. ]

You're being too cute. Special occasion?

[ That one was on purpose. ]

[ratmanreed]

Things.

[ Gavin says this slowly. Trying to imply that those “things” are none of Mike’s business. Supposed to be a surprise. ]

Not being cute. Didn’t do anything. You’re the one being all sexy right after waking up.

Oh, no. No special occasion — duh. Dipshit.

[ He sweeps his arm around Mike’s back, having failed at extracting himself. ]

Happy… birthday?

[ Said a little uncertainly. The words feel strange in his mouth: intimate in a way that Gavin doesn’t deserve. As if they weren’t supposed to make it to this day; aren’t supposed to make it to Gavin’s birthday, either. Nor Christmas. New Year’s. Anything like that.

Not together, anyway. ]

Autocorrect changing biased to bisexual and I'm like this ain't bi even if he is

[inthesaferoom]

Not sexy, you're just biased.

Not that I'm complaining about that.

[ He grins at the well wishes. For something he's told himself he doesn't need for years, it sure feels great to hear out of this out of this man's mouth. Probably because this is definitely his favorite man?

It's not exaggerating to say that. Probably even favorite person altogether, really. Who's possibly going to be better? Mike just plants a big kiss on his lips, not even trying to restrain himself. Come on, would you? ]

Sure is. Don't need anything else but this.

The Biased Bisexuals

[ratmanreed]

Not biased —

[ He stiffens against that kiss: a little surprised at the affection, although he shouldn’t be. Not with Mike. But then he kisses back; catching Mike’s lip between his teeth as they separate. ]

Don’t need anything else, huh? Could just stay in bed all day?

My coding fucked up real bad

[inthesaferoom]

Yep. You'd make sure I don't get bored, right?

You're real talented at that.

[ He doesn't make a second kiss an option, already going back in for it. His hand is still on Gavin's stomach and he wonders in a moment of distraction why it feels different, but shrugs it off. He is still waking up. ]

I'm simple, really. Don't need much.

stabs coding

[ratmanreed]

I can do that. Is that what you want for your birthday? Keep you from getting bored?

[ He grimaces a bit — not at Mike, nor the kiss. Stomach just feels weird.

Gavin bites at Mike’s lip again despite the pain: if anything, it makes him hornier. Oops. He swings a leg over Mike’s hips, trying to pull him closer. ]

[inthesaferoom]

[ He's easily pulled in, like he's going to deny him anything, unless the act of denial is sexy. He notices that grimace, there's no way he was missing the shape of it so close to him when Mike is attuned to him on real obsessive levels.

So yeah, he's pulled in closer but he leans back a bit. Studies Gavin's face. ]

Something up? Don't worry about birthday shit if you're sicker or something.

[ratmanreed]

Not sicker. Not sick at all.

[ Muttered petulantly. Gavin’s not gonna screw this up with his weird upset stomach. Mike’s damn birthday. ]

It’s fine. Just bite me or something.

[ Counteract the pain in his stomach, and all that. Makes sense, right? It does to Gavin, especially once there’s a stab of pain so sharp that he has to bite his lip. ]

Fuck. I mean — okay, okay. Something’s wrong.

[ There’s the tiniest bit of reprieve once he says that, as if his stomach is trying to convince him. Insistent.

Gavin presses Mike’s hand against his stomach: gripping his wrist. Gasping. Ruining everything. ]

[inthesaferoom]

[ Oh, it's time to panic now. On the inside, anyway - outside he's so calm it scares him. But he has to be, if something is going on, he needs to be in control to fucking fix it. ]

Okay. Can you move at all?

Let me look at you at least. Okay?

[ He tries to separate himself so he can do so, but he's careful about it. Doesn't want to make shit worse. ]

cn: some body horror ish ???

[ratmanreed]

Sure, yeah. You go and look at me, Doctor-fucking-Munroe.

[ Gavin tries to lay on his back but that’s a mistake. Everything is a mistake, apparently, including being alive. Feels like something wants out.

His forehead is sweating and he’s clenching the sheets because god, what else is there to do? Scream? Maybe soon. ]

[inthesaferoom]

[ Right, so that was the wrong suggestion. He'd been pretty okay when he woke up but it's back to the crushing feeling of knowing he's useless, but being aware of something doesn't fix anything? ]

I'm going to - call someone, okay?

Just hang on.

[ His phone is near enough. Takes two seconds to grab it off the bedside table, if he's allowed to move that far. ]

[ratmanreed]

Who the fuck are you going to call?

[ An added topping of pissiness here due to the pain. It feels like an emergency, but…? Gavin’s still in denial here.

He watches Mike grab his phone, grimacing through another pang, then he’s grabbing Mike’s wrist. Pressing his hand against his stomach because that’s the only thing that feels right here: hand. Stomach. As if it’s Mike’s fault he’s like this, so only Mike’s touch can help. ]

Hurry up with the damn phone call.

[ Gavin only needs one hand here. For now. ]

Gonna punch something or scream in about five seconds. And then I’m gonna need you to do something fucking weird.

[inthesaferoom]

I'm calling the emergency line. It's fine, they'll know what to do.

[ Because he really fucking doesn't. He just makes that phone call, allowing his hand to be taken and manipulated, trying to sort out if anything feels weird under his touch. It's a little difficult with less fingers but it's something. ]

Whatever you want. Don't care if it's weird.

[ratmanreed]

[ Logically, he knows Mike is right. It’s not as if they have any idea on what to do, anyway. And yet something about involving someone else, a stranger…? That feels wrong. Bad.

But it’s too late now, isn’t it? Gavin just squeezes Mike’s wrist. Yells out a sharp “fuck,” possibly while Mike’s still on the phone.

His hand feels both oddly cool and warm against him. Just feels right. He brushes his thumb softly against Mike’s knuckles: his favorite hand. Gavin is normal about that hand. ]

Gonna need you to — lay your head on my stomach. Or something. Don’t ask me why.

[inthesaferoom]

[ It's not Mike's favorite hand, mostly because it's not the one he's wearing the ring on. It's not like he has the fingers, okay? He's not sure how to take that request but he's not the one clearly suffering, he doesn't get to be confused. ]

Yeah, okay.

[ He'll ask later. For now, he shifts so he can position himself as requested. Sure doesn't move his hand, though. ]

cn: more body horror here yowza

[ratmanreed]

[ Gavin closes his eyes. Brushes his hand through Mike’s hair; fingers along his cheekbone, jaw. Even if someone else would have done this for him — no one would — Gavin’s assured by the shape of his face. The feel of him. The sound of his voice. The comfort that his smell brings.

Mike. And no one else.

And then the pain is, oddly, almost gone. Dull. He opens his eyes, starting to rise up onto his elbows, then —

It’s just there. Rising. Stomach stretching to a sizable bump beneath Mike’s head, as if he were a couple months pregnant. Which he definitely isn’t. Definitely dying here. Some alien shit going on. ]

What the fuck?!

[inthesaferoom]

...

[ Mike sits up and examines . He's careful about it as he places his hand on the bump and feels. He keeps an eye on Gavin's face to make sure there's no pain.

Yeah, okay, maybe this isn't an emergency services thing. It's something else but he doesn't know what. Is it his imagination or is something moving in there? ]

Uhhh. How do you feel?

Mike’s face LMAO

[ratmanreed]

Feel... not dead? Doesn’t hurt anymore, exactly, it’s more...

[ Gavin reaches down. Tries to touch the side of his new bump before he cringes. Pulls his hand away.

It’s weirdly endearing how well Mike’s holding himself together here, but that’s just Mike in general. ]

Achy. Wrong. Hungry. Pretty sure I’m dying, or something.

[ Definitely something moving in there, although Gavin’s too weirded out to feel again. ]

HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING

[inthesaferoom]

[ Yeah, that's him. Looking like he's keeping it together as long as everyone else needs. But he's scared to death inside. It's not helping with how he was earlier that morning. ]

It's pretty easy to tell when you're dying. It's a very specific feeling.

[ And he's been starting to remember it more and more, lately. ]

I'd feed you but I'm pretty sure we should stay here until the emergency people arrive.

neither does Gav but he’s insufferable about it

[ratmanreed]

No. I’m dying. How else do you explain...?

[ He gestures down to his stomach. Groans. ]

That doesn’t make sense. That’s not how bodies work. What if they don’t know what to do? What if?

[ Covering his face with his forearm, now. Still groaning. ]

It’s what Killer would want.

[inthesaferoom]

Yeah well, we don't stan Killer in this house so he's not getting what he wants.

[ He's so tired all of a sudden. He's just so tired. But he places a careful hand on Gavin's stomach to examine. He's ready to stop at any moment, if told to. ]

This hurt? Or is it okay now?

[ratmanreed]

Except Killer is a cat so we do stan him. He’s the only one allowed to kill me.

[ It’s a joke? Mostly a joke.

Gavin nods at Mike, though. ]

It’s just... tender, I guess? Which makes sense. In a sea of things not making sense. It’s just weird. Do you think they can even help?

[ Whatever is in Gavin’s stomach is definitely moving. Perhaps even drawn to Mike’s hand. Odd, that.

And although Gavin isn’t touching his stomach, he can still feel... something. A strange sort of flutter that makes him queasy. And as fucked up as all this is — as irrational as this might be — part of him doesn’t think he’s in immediate danger from this. Whatever this thing is. ]