"What do you m-- oh God." It slowly dawned on him what Hartley was talking about. Oh man, he was sensing he accidentally overshot how much heroin he needed. He ODed like some common junkie outside some nice guys apartment. Great. As if he couldn't get any lower in the world, that happened. He raised his hand and idly ran it up the arm he'd injected, feeling the needle marks. There were a few of them.
He eventually and reluctantly took the offered hand, shaking it loosely and swiftly. Well, this was embarrassing. "I'm Axel." He bit his lower lip as he tried to think of a good excuse for why this happened. "I, er, I was just dicking around. You know? No big deal. Sorry about ruining your evening"
Of course he pulled his hand back, simply nodding. "Please. I'm just glad that you are all right. That would have really put a damper on my day otherwise." Hartley sat back and the bent to pick up the bag on the ground next to his chair, holding it out to Axel. "I had to wait around for a while, so I got you some chocolates."
And a card and a tiny "Get well soon!" rat, but he supposed that needed no further explanation. "You should at least stay overnight. Is there anyone you want to contact?"
"You got me stuff? Why?" Axel squinted, unable to buy this was real. Was he dead? He had to be dead or in a coma and this was some weird hallucination. Some handsome guy had gone and gotten him some stuff and took care of him, stuck around to make sure he'd be okay. It just didn't seem right. He pulled out the stuff with a small confused frown, looking at the rat as he tried to work out why this was happening. "Thanks."
That was the cutest rat ever. He was so keeping it. He looked at Hartley and laughed, unable to help himself. "Nah, can't afford it. I need to be out of here like yesterday." There was no way he could ever pay for this shit. Not in a million years. "I'm good, I don't really have people. It's cool, I got this." And with that, he threw back the covers and stretched a little. Time to make a run for it.
"Hey, where's my shit? Like my clothes and stuff?" The ones covered in vomit and God knows what else from when he seized earlier.
"Oh. Don't worry about that. Someone already took care of your hospital bill. Anonymous donation." Hartley hoped that in this light, his blushing was less noticeable. He was a good liar, but under the circumstances it was a bit of a challenge. "You are covered until Wednesday at least." Maybe he'd like to stay longer. Get detoxed. But he didn't think now was the time to mention that.
"There's a laundromat in the building and I got your clothes there. They'll be ready in a bit, I'll bring them back up before I have to leave. Is there anything else you need? I'm afraid you missed dinner time, but there's a sandwich and soda on your nightstand."
Hartley frowned, then shrugged. "If it helps, you were very polite before you passed out. You even complimented me."
"Someone took care of my bill? How? That doesn't make any sense." Axel had been here a few times before, once for drugs but a lot of the time, it was little injuries and no one had ever donated to help him. He usually had to run before anyone caught him and billed him. It helped he never gave his name and he didn't had a billing address. Who would take care of him like this though?
He frowned at Hartley. Did he do it? Did he have that kind of money? It was so weird. He stayed seated, wishing he had his clothes already, it was hard to deal with this level of stuff in his a crappy, paper-thin gown. "You got me a sandwich too?" This was starting to feel sinister.
Since when did people do stuff for him? He knew it couldn't have been his charm, he doubted anything he said before he blacked out had been sexy. "Dude, what do you want?" Axel asked plainly because he hated head games and he had to be after something.
"I don't want anything. I just believe in helping others when you're able to." Simple as that. "And given you passed out in my arms, it was definitely on me." Hartley couldn't blame the man for being suspicious, he imagined he'd be much the same if circumstances were reversed. "But actually, I got the sandwich from a nurse. She thought you looked like you could use it." No need to hide that fact.
Not exactly as nice as it sounded, a nurse pitying him for looking hungry. He hadn't eaten much in a while and since he started drugs, it get worse. He needed something to get him through this rough patch, heroin had done it. He just needed a job and a place to stay, then he'd have an address back, he could write to James Jesse again and things would get better. As it stood, it was hard, he was all alone again and he didn't like it. "I don't need your pity. I'm not in a great place but that doesn't mean everyone can look at me and act like I'm a charity case. Things aren't going my ways, that's all."
"I don't pity you. I'd just not have let you die. If you rather wanted to, you should have been smarter about where to pass out, because you're not dying on my watch." Hartley shrugged and didn't seem very put out. This was about the reaction he expected and he couldn't blame him. He certainly wouldn't want charity himself. "It was nice to meet you, Axel. I hope things start going your way now."
"Oh yeah, things are already going my way. I ODed and I blew all my money on what I ODed on and now I'm twice as broke as before. Not that it matters, what was thirty bucks gonna get me anyway?" It couldn't even get him a motel room. He rolled his eyes and picked up the get well soon cuddly toy, looking at it curiously as he playfully tweaked it's nose. "You don't have to care, dude. It's okay. I'll understand if you leave."
"I don't have to care, Axel, but you also can't keep me from caring." And now he suddenly found himself caring a lot. "Do you need a place to stay? I volunteer at a homeless shelter sometimes. If you want, I could probably get you a spot." He volunteered and he'd donated quite a bit, so he was hoping that his word might count for something. "That might make it easier for you to sort your life a little."
"Dunno." It was an honest answer, he didn't like the idea of sharing with a bunch of random people like some total loser. He hated being a charity case. He just wished he'd have stayed in care a little longer and sorted his life out before he left instead of leaving the moment he hit eighteen without a plan or an aim. "Does it have an address I could get mail sent to?" That was pretty much all he needed out of a place. "I gotta hit up some places and I need a PO box."
"There's an address, yes. Helps with job interviews too." At least to some extent, especially since it wasn't listed as a homeless centre obviously. Hartley fished a notebook out of his back-bag and ripped out a page, scribbling down the information and, after a moment's thought, also adding his own number. Then he held the paper out to Axel. "I just hope you won't repeat tonight's drama any time soon."
"It wasn't like I intended it." Axel rolled his eyes but he snagged the paper and looked it over. He wasn't sure if he was going to get in or not, he'd applied to a few and they were always full. No beds anywhere, hence why he was crashing in the hallway of someone's apartment block to escape the winter chill. "I'm not sure why you're being so nice to me. It's super weird, you know? It's not every day a ridiculously handsome guy is nice to me."
"Well. Technically I saved your life today. It would seem like a waste if I just let you die now." Simple enough. Hartley checked his phone and then got up, stepping up to Axel's bed. "I'll ask them to bring you another sandwich, you look like you could use it. Do you think you'll still be here tomorrow?" He could probably swing by for a visit on his way back from his seminar.
"I'm not sure. Maybe? I mean. I haven't got anywhere else to go." That and he felt dizzy, his stomach really hurt and his head felt like it could explode. He kind of wanted to get some sleep somewhere warm and comfortable. It didn't often happen. He could just cuddle his little stuffed toy and think about how some hot guy had seen him at his worse. Great. Not a good basis if he ever wanted to ask him out. "You gonna swing by and say hi to me while I try to save face?"
"I have a seminar tomorrow that ends at eleven, so I could be here at eleven thirty, if you wanted me to." If that could give him the motivation to stick around a little longer, Hartley could plan in the detour. Not as if it was that far out of his way. He packed his book into his bag and zipped it shut, putting it over his shoulder. "Your face is looking pretty safe, don't worry."
"I could stick around, I guess." Axel grinned a little and then lay back into his bed, kicking the blankets down and looking around to see if anyone salvaged his phone. Or if he even had a phone when he was bought in. Someone probably stole it while he was high. That seemed about right, to be fair. He smiled at Hartley and winked, hoping this cute guy was gay and single. A boy could dream. "My face is my best feature by far, I should hope so."
"I don't know about best. I haven't seen all of you yet." Hartley smirked and stepped back, turning as he headed for the door. "See you tomorrow, Axel."
With that, he left the room. Outside he ended up not only buying two more sandwiches, but also some other treats and a couple of magazines which he politely asked a nurse to drop by in Axel's room. With that he felt he had done what was needed and he headed home. He still had homework to do.
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He eventually and reluctantly took the offered hand, shaking it loosely and swiftly. Well, this was embarrassing. "I'm Axel." He bit his lower lip as he tried to think of a good excuse for why this happened. "I, er, I was just dicking around. You know? No big deal. Sorry about ruining your evening"
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And a card and a tiny "Get well soon!" rat, but he supposed that needed no further explanation. "You should at least stay overnight. Is there anyone you want to contact?"
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That was the cutest rat ever. He was so keeping it. He looked at Hartley and laughed, unable to help himself. "Nah, can't afford it. I need to be out of here like yesterday." There was no way he could ever pay for this shit. Not in a million years. "I'm good, I don't really have people. It's cool, I got this." And with that, he threw back the covers and stretched a little. Time to make a run for it.
"Hey, where's my shit? Like my clothes and stuff?" The ones covered in vomit and God knows what else from when he seized earlier.
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"There's a laundromat in the building and I got your clothes there. They'll be ready in a bit, I'll bring them back up before I have to leave. Is there anything else you need? I'm afraid you missed dinner time, but there's a sandwich and soda on your nightstand."
Hartley frowned, then shrugged. "If it helps, you were very polite before you passed out. You even complimented me."
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He frowned at Hartley. Did he do it? Did he have that kind of money? It was so weird. He stayed seated, wishing he had his clothes already, it was hard to deal with this level of stuff in his a crappy, paper-thin gown. "You got me a sandwich too?" This was starting to feel sinister.
Since when did people do stuff for him? He knew it couldn't have been his charm, he doubted anything he said before he blacked out had been sexy. "Dude, what do you want?" Axel asked plainly because he hated head games and he had to be after something.
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With that, he left the room. Outside he ended up not only buying two more sandwiches, but also some other treats and a couple of magazines which he politely asked a nurse to drop by in Axel's room. With that he felt he had done what was needed and he headed home. He still had homework to do.