mostlyajerk

Axel stuck to his word, he walked Hartley all the way down to James's place, practically carrying the other as he buzzed the door and pushed the door open, holding it for Hartley. "Take the lift. Tell James I'm really sorry and I'll pay him back." But Axel didn't feel like confronting him right now, he just want to go out there and get the money. He kissed Hartley one final time and smiled, making his move to leave now he knew Hartley was somewhere safe.

"Be careful, Ax." What else was he supposed to say? That he'd be thinking of him, because he would be? That he wished he would stay, because he did? That this wasn't fair or right and that he wanted to break the face of every man who'd ever dared to lay hands on his Axel? He said nothing of the like and just turned finally, so he could take the lift.

He walked into the flat, feeling like crying and trying to keep himself as composed as he could given the state he was in. "James? Are you home?"

"Oh yeah. So which one of you two little bastards robbed me? What the actual fuck are you two playing at? Do you have any idea how long I was saving?" James yelled angrily as he came from the bedroom ready to yell all manner of things and there was Hartley, on the verge of tears from the looks, beaten, limping and suddenly the text he got from Axel made a lot more sense and he felt his anger melt into sadness. Shit. James sucked in a deep breath and exhaled. "-- Never mind. Who needs money?"

He did if he ever wanted to upgrade in life but hell, he was sure there had to be a good reason. Just one look at Hartley said there was. "Jesus, Hart. What the hell happened?"

Hartley shook his head and leaned back against the closed door, because it stupidly felt like he was closer to Axel. As if he could go out and get him. He shook his head as he tried to think of what to say, not actually looking at James. "Axel's working. He said to tell you he's sorry and he'll pay you back. I'll help. That part's me saying it, Axel never wants me to use my money."

Not that he had that much, but he'd have to. He could find a way. Hartley thought about Axel at work and shuddered, finally stepping away from the door. "Whatever asshole it is that Axel owed money, he went after me with some people and then he just asked Axel for all the money he could get. Threatened to rape me or shoot me up or kill me or all of the above, I don't even know, so Axel panicked."

"Let me guess. Shaved head, tattoo of a dragon on the side of his face, looks like your typical low rent gangster? Yeah, that guy has been all over Axel since the kid was like fourteen." James didn't even try to hide his disgust as he caught Hartley's hand and gently pulled him towards the couch, pushing him down so he could take a seat. "I was kind of hoping we could pay the bastard off but apparently he really doesn't want Axel doing well. Sounds about right. Around here, doing better is like giving people the middle finger."

Moving into the kitchen, he grabbed the first aid kit and came back, sitting on the coffee table as he looked Hartley over. "I don't blame him for panicking, he's a cruel bastard. You're damn lucky all he did was kick your ass."

"He liked that I could speak Spanish. Don't know why." Hartley leaned back against the couch and tried to keep his focus. He didn't want to pass out, it was probably not advisable. "Axel gave him everything and apparently he has to give him the money for his next five clients."

Five men and Axel already in a terrible mood, Hartley could only hope he'd not get any of the more awful clients. He had to hope that the bastards who'd fuck his boyfriend wouldn't do worse than that, because that was what his life was.

"He's going to buy drugs again. He doesn't want to take them, for me. He's only in this trouble because of me."

"Oh please, Axel is always in trouble, it's got nothing to do with you. He was in trouble before I even met him, he'll be in trouble until he finally gets a break. If he ever gets a break." James handed over four lots of painkillers to Hartley and then moved to get him a glass of water. That should get him doped up enough to sleep and maybe worry a little less. "I hate it too, drives me nuts. I want to help but it's complicated. Every time he tries to get better, something drags him down."

And Axel wasn't the only one, James watched so many kids get ruined here and it hurt to see it happen. He hated that he got attached to one sometimes, made his life harder.

Passing the water back to Hartley and returned to where he was sitting. "Shirt off, handsome. I'm going to have to see how bad the damage is."

"I think my ribs might be bruised." Hartley took his shirt off slowly, not yet taking the pain killers. He wanted to stay alert. He didn't even know why. Because what was he supposed to do, even if Axel called for help? Hartley threw his shirt on the ground and looked down himself, not surprised by what he saw. Wonderful. He could hardly wait to go back to his classes and see the reactions on everyone's face. Awful.

"I told him that I loved him. In somewhere positive news. He said he loves me too." So there was that, at least.

"Ouchie." Was how James' so helpfully responded to the sight of all that damage. It was probably just bruising and he checked to make sure none were broken because if they were, he would have known just from the reaction. There wasn't much he could do for bruised ribs so he just slapped a hello kitty band-aid on either side in an effort to at least get a smile from Hartley. "Get Axel to kiss it better later."

He focused instead on cleaning the scraped skin where he must have hit the floor, cleaning the mark with an disinfectant wipe. "Axel said it and meant it? Woah, you must be special. I've never heard him love anything." He paused mid-wipe and looked up at Hartley. "You two are adorable and depressing to watch, you know?"

"I'm sure he will." It was what Axel usually did when Hartley was hurt, only usually his injuries weren't caused by Axel's associates but his experiments. Actually, some of them had been caused by unhappy clients. Or overly eager clients. What a life they had.

Hartley hissed when the disinfectant wipe made his skin burn, but he held still rather bravely, just pressing his lips together. He looked down at James and smiled, but it was a sad smile. "I know. I am all up in it. It's a mess and I thought maybe it could get better eventually. Now I'm not so sure any more."

"Welcome to my world. You don't think I've been down this road before? I wanted to save that idiot kid the moment he asked if I wanted him to suck me off when he was all tiny and baby faced. It was creepy and I had to protect him! Why do you think he calls me his dad? Believe it or not, he was worse than he is now and I literally reigned hell on some of the worse people in his life to help but but you take one down and another appears." Of course it was harder for James, Axel was self destructive by nature and he tended to let others rule him for lack of wanting to fight back. That was why Hartley was so important.

"You stand more of a chance than I ever did. He wants to change for you, he wants to actually try. Even if it'll never be perfect, it's still better than it could be and you did that." He tossed the wipe aside and applied some gauze to the worst of it. "The other day he asked me if he should go back to school. All because he didn't want you thinking he wasn't trying."

"Yeah. But what now? He's back to working a lot. Back to using soon, most likely. I hate when he's high, I can't deal with it." Hartley finally took the painkillers, even if he doubted they'd do anything to ease what hurt the most. "He's the best thing in my life. He's all that really matters and they want to take him from me, just because. I'm lost without him. But... You know, he comes back and then he doesn't even want me near him, he doesn't want me touching him. Because he's out there right now, getting fucked by another damn bastard. Why can't we be happy? Is there a law against that? Damn. I told dragon head he had a small dick, at least that's something."

"You're smart, Hart. You'll find a way. Don't ask me how, I have no idea but I think you'll work it out. I would stake my life savings on it but Axel stole those already." For a noble cause, clearly but that was still a total bitch. "I can help, we'll think of something. I want you two kids to be happy and you won't be as long as dicks like that are playing head games." It wasn't simple, Hartley was in a lot of danger and he was bound to be the target if they wanted to control Axel. "... Maybe you should dump Axel." There was more logic to it than that but he was just going to throw it out there.

"No. I'd never leave him. I told him he better not dare leave me. I'm not scared. I'm angry and I'll think of something." No, he didn't know what, but he was determined, he was fuelled. "He's a coward, really. That guy. He wasn't good with me not being scared, totally threw him. I can play head games too and I've got a much better head on my shoulders."

"Yeah but while you play headgames, he can have you raped, murdered and dumped in Axel's apartment so maybe not." James dismissed as he pushed Hartley to lie back before the painkillers kicked in and knocked him down without prep. "You don't have to actually leave him. Just maybe break up on the surface, make distance, remove yourself from being the target then if Axel leaves, it'll be easier. Axel can stand up for himself most of the time but now he has you to worry over, makes him hesitant."

"I'm not leaving him." Hartley didn't even want to contemplate the choice. "Axel doesn't have an apartment." What an argument. He laid down and wrapped his arms around himself, frowning at James. "Stop being mean to me." So, yes, the painkillers were kicking in. He might not be quite that clever any more, but at least he was stating his position clearly. "I need to hold him when he wants to be held. He never cries when he's awake, but he does when he sleeps. I'm not leaving him."

"I won't tell you to do anything then. Just stay with him and love him, yeah?" What else could he say to that? Hartley seemed heartbroken at the idea of even so much as lying about breaking up with him and the apartment was important for... reasons he was sure made sense. James grabbed a blanket from off the back of the couch and tossed it over Hartley, smiling softly. "Relax, just sleep a little. I'll wait for Axel to come home and when he does, you can hold him and make him feel better. How's that for a game plan?"

Out.

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