laughed it off || austin

[miles avishai cohen flores]

austinnn, wooooo

"Ok baby girl, you have fun with Aunt Charlie and Oli. I love you princess." Miles knelt as he hugged his daughter goodbye, laughing as she barely tolerated his hug and then practically ran off to play with Oli. An afternoon of playtime with Charlie and her son would be good for Netanya and it gave Miles a little extra time to get things done around the house. So daughter dropped off, Miles hurried home, planning on finally getting ahead on cleaning for once. And indeed he did make some progress, though after about an hour, he was bored and looking for something else to do. Tony was at work, Netanya would be with Charlie for a least another hour, Miles wasn't due in at the gallery so... He texted Austin, asked if the other man would be up to grab a quick bite with him.

Twenty minutes later, Miles was sitting at one of the nearby cafes, scanning through emails on his phone as he contemplated this apparent friendship he was slowly cultivating with Austin. While he knew, knew so well, that this was in many many ways a horrifyingly bad idea, he had felt so guilty and miserable when he'd first chatted with Austin after the run in with Tony. The other guy just seemed so down on his luck and the handful of times Miles had run by his place with meals to drop off had just reenforced this view. And though Miles had absolutely no interest in a romantic relationship with Austin, none at all, he did worry and fret about the guy. So he'd resolved to look out for him, try and take care of him a bit, though it all had to remain completely secret, lest Tony find out and freak, given Miles' and Austin's history.

A waitress came by the table with menus and looked at Miles, like she was waiting for an order. "Not ready yet, still waiting for my friend. But could I get a coffee? And a glass of water, actually bring two, he should be here soon." She nodded, snapping her gum as she turned and headed back into the kitchen. It wasn't two minutes before she was back, carrying a mug of coffee dangerously full and two glasses of water on a tray. Setting them down, she hurried off, leaving Miles to blow on his coffee, waiting for it to cool and for Austin to finally arrive.

[austin]

austin shouldn't be allowed in strip clubs. he's either way too into it or he's way too immature about it. maybe he would be more into it, but the girl seinging around the pole had a bubble machine. fuck, he was so immature.

hey aus! look a half naked hot girl girl!

nope, fuck that, theres bubbles.

so he left the strip club and sat out back behind the building, his back against the wall. he sighed softly, digging in his jacket pocket for his pills. he held the orange bottle up to the light and then popped a few into his mouth. he stuck the orange bottle back into his jacket pocket, resting his head against the side of the building.

the young man was convinced there is nothing worse in this world than being alone. he had been so ready to give up, but then miles came to his rescue. austin was confused at first, because austin had been a straight up cunt to miles and his husband. maybe miles just felt bad for him, but austin would take all he could get.

when you're depressed and someone makes you happy, you hold onto that person tight and you don't fucking let go. austin wasn't interested in miles romantically in any way, but he was austin's only real friend. miles didn't lie to austin, he was straight up with him and austin appreciated it. his sister, his bestfriend on the entire planet, had lied to him for a long time and that hurt austin so bad that austin no longer trusted people easily. and when he finally let someone else in, well, they ruined his life, they brain washed him.

ausin wasnt born this way, no one evil really is. burned in the past, he keeps everyone at an arms length distance away- no one was going to ever hurt him again, no one would ever mean anything to him, more than they had to to stick around until he was done or bored. but here he was, taking a chance with miles. his phone vibrated and he flipped open the shitty phone, smiling hazily. well, speak of the devil.

austin walked to the restaraunt miles and him agreed on, sitting across from his only friend.

"sorry it took so long, i don't have a car anymore. i walked."

austin took note of the fact that miles had ordered him a water, and he picked it up and drank from it gratefully. he hadn't realize how thirsty he had been. he sighed when he set it down, running a hand through his shaggy black hair.

"how is everyone at home? they doin' okay?"

austin's questions were genuine. he really did care, cause well, tanya was the coolest kid ever, and tony made miles happy. and austin genuinely cared about miles in the most friendly way, and he wanted miles to be happy, especially since austin was rarely happy himself. austin offered a small smile to miles, waiting for him to speak.

[miles avishai cohen flores]

austinnn, wooooo

By the time Austin was coming into the diner, Miles had broken down and ordered himself a croissant, just something to munch on with his coffee. Emails took up most of his attention for the time he waited, a few sale related emails from the gallery, a commission inquiry and then three emails from his mother, long drawn out family news about some drama or another with his cousin. He read through the mom emails, laughing and shaking his head at his mother's complaining about a million irrelevant things that only got longer and more rambling with each email. Entirely absorbed in his email, he barely even noticed Austin coming into the diner until he heard the guy settling in the seat across from him. Miles looked up with a huge smile.

"Don't worry about it, I was keeping busy, there's some kind of family drama or some nonsense, my mother is busy keeping me updated with a million emails per second so I don't miss any of the riveting drama." He laughed a bit, clicking his screen off and then slid the phone back in his pockets as he refocused on Austin. The few weeks they'd been friendly had made the pair actually pretty close. Miles liked and even trusted Austin, though he knew well how careful he had to be about this, careful that Tony didn't find out before he had come up with a good way to tell him.

The question about his family got a massive sunny smile. "They're good, really good. Netanya has been just so excited about the weather getting nicer, we've got more park time and I think maybe we'll go down to the beach one day, which I think she'll like." Miles' voice was fond as he talked about his daughter, always loving to talk about her endlessly. "And Tony's been doing great too, his band is getting attention and his shop is doing fine and he's just..." Miles' smile had turned a little sappy, like it usually did when he talked about Tony. A little happy sigh and he was shaking his head a bit at himself. "Yeah he's good. We're good."

But he couldn't just chatter on endlessly about his husband and their daughter, as much as he might want to. "How have you been? Did you go see anyone at that clinic I gave you the info for?" He rested his head on his hand, watching Austin closely. Miles genuinely worried about him, worried that he wasn't getting the help he so obviously needed.

[austin]

austin watched miles talk. it was becoming one of his favorite things to do. when milestalked about his family or art he just lit up like a fire cracker and it made austin get contact happy. you know, like when you get a contact high from being around someone who is chiefing, or like second hand smoke. at first it made austin anxious. in fact, you'd be suprised how anxious everything made the young man, and all his anxieties just fed his depression.

when miles briefly stopped talking austin had the waitress refill his water and he drank that one down too. he sighed softly and continued to listen to miles talk about his family. miles got that sappy glow when he spoke about tony and austin felt a twinge of envy. the girls from before he built up a dam to protect himself had left what felt like craters in his heart. when you lose someone, it stats with you. always reminding you of how easy it is to get hurt. now he just kind of was stuck in the relationship department. he wasn't going to let anyone mean anything to him so that way no one was going to ever hurt him again. he has let miles in, but miles wouldn't hurt him, he wouldn't leave austin. he couldn't. he wouldn't be able to take that.

austin doesn't do too well on his own.

the young man looked up when miles asked him the question, and he nodded once before speaking.

"yeah, i have gone a handful of times now. they uh, they gave me some pills."

austin dug in his pocket to retrieve the orange bottle of ativan he had recieved from his doctor and handed them across the table to miles.

"they aren't so bad. i feel less . . . anxious now that i am taking them. though, they're sort of poisonous, so i have to go get blood work done every other month to make sure my liver is okay."

austin started to tear apart his napkin, a nervous habit of his.

"they're like . . . i feel like a see more now. and they make me want someone to come and save me . . . but there isn't really anyone there. even if there was i'm was pretty sure they wouldn’t come for a mess like me."

the boy looked down at his napkin and continued shredding before stopping and looking up at miles, his hazel eyes staring into miles' brown ones.

"i'm sure you've gathered that . . . that, ya know, i don't really have anyone anymore. so thank you miles. for being there for me."

austin chuckled nervously.

"because i don't do too well on my own."

[miles avishai cohen flores]

austinnn, wooooo

Hands wrapping around the coffee mug, Miles lifted it to his lips and took a long sip. That happy glow that he got whenever he spoke about his family lingered, Miles so entirely happy as a husband and a stay-at-home dad, even if it had not been something he'd expected for himself. His happy, contented smile stayed put as he nodded when Austin mentioned getting some pills. "Thats good news, right? That should help things..." He set his mug down, took the bottle when it was handed to him, eyes scanning over the label briefly before handing it back and listening as Austin explained the effects of the medication.

"At least getting on them is a start. That's what really matters, that you're starting on the road to dealing with all of your issues. I'm really happy for you." Miles said, fidgeting a bit with his wedding ring as he did frequently, twisting it around on his finger as Austin spoke again. "I mean, even just going in and seeing someone is really brave, so good for you Austin. I mean it, this is good news. And I'm glad the clinic is taking care of you, I went to that place back in the day after..." He trailed off, smile fading as he shrugged a bit. The fact that Miles had been sexually assaulted back when he'd still been a prostitute was something he never really talked about and not many people knew about. So he didn't exactly explain, just shook his head and plastered a smile back on. "Anyway, they took good care of me back when I needed help so I'm sure they'll take good care of you now."

But Austin's getting down on himself... That was unacceptable. "Austin, please, you don't need to thank me. I'm glad to be able to do this for you. It's not a problem at all. I know how hard it is to be alone, I don't mind being here for you when you need it." Miles' smile was warm and genuine and he stopped fidgeting with his ring long enough to reach across the table and touch Austin's hand. "You aren't a mess. You just need a little help, it's ok. I don't think you're any less of a person for that."

Miles shrugged a bit, smiled wider. "Plus, you're one of the few people who hasn't already heard my every story about my family, so it's nice having a fresh audience." He said with a light laugh, half-joking. Not that he meant to rub it in that his life was, at present moment, pretty good, but Miles loved to talk about his family more than anything and did so often.