Gustholomule <3 fluff

innocent cuddles

Gus opened the door to Luz's room where the girls were sleeping, saying a quick goodnight and trotting back downstairs to the living room.

He stopped at the closed bathroom door, Matt still hiding inside. Gus chewed his lip anxiously, wondering if the other boy was okay.

"I'm sure he's alright," Hunter popped up, placing a hand on Gus' shoulder and looking at the door. "He'll come out when he's ready."

"Yeah. Okay," Gus nodded, smiling softly at his friend and pausing before saying, "Should I knock or—"

"HUNTER," Edric yelled from the living room, interrupting the conversation. "KING SAID HE'S ACTIVATING DEMON MODE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS AND I'M SCARED PLEASE COME SAVE ME BOYFRIEND."

"God, not again," Hunter groaned, walking into the living room. "King!"

Gus hears muffled talking and a few high-pitched screams, presumably from Edric.

Gus walked over to the bathroom door, gently pressing his ear to the wood. "Matt?" He knocked.

There was no response. Gus knocked again, hoping for a reply. He heard a click from the knob, the door unlocking. Gus twisted the handle slowly, cautiously pulling open the door.

Mattholomule was sitting on the floor by the toilet, his knees tucked into his sweatshirt. His hands were still clutching the scroll as he hid almost his whole face in his hood.

"Hi," Gus closed the door, sliding down against the wood. He fiddled with the hem of his shirt, looking down at his hands.

"Hi," Matt responded meekly, his voice wrecked. Gus's head perked up, looking at the other boy. He immediately met eyes with Matty.

"Are you okay? You kind of... freaked out earlier," Gus said, looking up at the ceiling. "I was kinda worried..."

"Yeah. Sorry," Matt pulled his hands out of his sweatshirt, running one through his hair. Gus noticed how they were still violently shaking. Matt took a shaky sigh, closing his eyes.

"Willow thinks it was the question. During truth or dare. I told her not to blame herself but... she's Willow," Gus talked, Matty listening despite his closed off posture. "Oh, and Edric's all delirious from the soda. It was apparently expired by 300 human years according to Luz. Which is bad for the body? I don't know. Ed's fine, his brain is just a little fuzzy."

Matt suddenly winced, tucking his hands back into his sweatshirt. His talk with Steve from earlier today hit him hard all over again, the words swirling around in his head. Let's just say... his brain is a little fuzzy.

Suddenly a hand was around Matt's wrist, then another arm around his shoulders. Matt's eyes were still blurry from crying for hours, everything was happening like he was observing from afar. He subconsciously leaned further into the hug, an arm coiling itself under his knees until he was practically being cradled.

Gus sighed into Matt's hair, the brunette a shell of himself. Tears slipped from Matt's eyes, wetting Gus's shirt slightly. He pulled Matty closer, leaning against the wall for support. Gus stroked his hair while the other boy sniffed, willing tears to not spill.

— —

Emira settled into her sleeping bag after a painfully long time taking out her braid. Willow was cuddled up with King and a book, her sleeping bag right next to the large one for Luz and Amity to squeeze into.

"Do you guys think Mattholomule is okay? I didn't mean for the question to get that personal," Willow sighed, closing her book and stroking King.

"I'm sure he's fine. Gus is with him," Amity said, laying down next to Luz.