Addiction [Zombie_In_A_Box and Koe-chan]

[BlaqueCatt]

 

Name: Nathan Price

Age: 25

Personality/Bio: Having grown up in a poor family, he had to learn how to take care of himself from a young age. He turned to drugs in high school, mostly because it made life a bit easier, although expensive. He found ways to get past, though, and soon began dealing drugs himself. He can be nasty and is quick to turn to violence, but there's still a good heart buried deep inside. He just doesn't like showing it. He had a girlfriend at some point, but she overdosed and died in his arms. That was the point where he began thinking about rehab, but he couldn't get himself to actually do anything.

 

 

 

Name: Bailey Daugherty

Age: 24

Personality: Bailey has always been shy, especially in high school, where he had very few friends and spent most of his time focused on his studies. He is very intelligent yet socially awkward. He is gentle and wants to make a friend, but does not know how. He went to high school with Nathan and seemed to gravitate toward him; as they say, "opposites attract." However, he was too afraid to approach him. He was very upset when Nathan started to take drugs, but didn't think it was his place to say anything. Imagine his surprise when they meet in a coffee shop after his morning college lecture.

[BlaqueCatt]

"Thank you," Bailey said softly as the cashier handed him a warm cup of vanilla chai tea. He held it with both of his hands, his pale fingers wrapping tightly around the thick paper in an attempt to chase away their numbness. He had forgotten his gloves that morning, and it was a miracle that his hands were only red and not dark purple. He stepped away from the counter, not wanting to hold up the line, and made his way over to a table by the window, the cup in his hands trembling as a tingling sensation signaled the return of feeling to his fingers. The dull shock slid up his arm, and he let out a sigh as he slid into the wooden chair. He placed the cup of tea on the table and shook his hands before rubbing them together.

 

After a gentle blow, the young man took a small sip of the tea, his blue eyes gazing out the window. He watched as the snow fell, light and pretty and not yet something to be worried about. His dark auburn hair, which seemed to be a mix of black, red, and brown, fell into his eyes and stuck to his temples due to the snow on his head that the heat of the cafe had melted. A few minutes passed in which he simply sat there, staring, warming himself up with his body curled as tightly together as it could in such a small chair. He didn't usually go out, but he thought it would be good for him to see other people, and he liked the tea that the cafe served. Bailey blinked out of his stupor when he heard the bell ring, signaling the presence of a new customer. He initially paid it no mind and reached into his backpack, taking out his laptop and setting it on the table. While it was booting up, he glanced around and froze when he saw who had entered. Years had passed since they had last seen each other, but there was no mistaking that hair, or that face.

 

Nathan? Bailey's pale cheeks flushed a dark shade of red, having already been turned pink by the nip of the cold. He quickly looked away, his shaking fingers flying across the keyboard as he attempted to appear busy. What are the odds that his high school crush would show up on the one day he decided to try and be social? And why was he so flustered anyway? It had been a high school crush; it had never been serious, and he had grown up. He had changed. Nathan probably didn't even remember him. Forget it, he told himself firmly, opening a text document. You were never friends, and that's not going to change now.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan despised the cold weather. It made him feel numb, physically, as if his emotional state wasn't enough. Even though his apartment was just a ten minute walk away, he couldn't take the cold gnawing at his skin, getting to his bones, and slipped into one of the many cafes. He liked hanging out there when he wanted a more relaxed atmosphere. It probably would've been nice to spend time here more than doing drugs, but life certainly didn't go the way he planned it to. Hell, he let his life go loose a long time ago, probably the first time he tried drugs and got hooked on them. They would probably lead him to his death, but it was too late to regret it. Besides, it wasn't even really his thought.

 

As he waited in line for the coffee, Nathan looked around, mentally cursing everyone who stared at his dark skin, bleached hair or the many earrings he had. All of his tattoos were hidden by his winter clothes, but some things would always be visible. As he was checking the surroundings, though, a familiar face caught his eyes. What was his name again?.. Blake? No, that wasn't it. Bailey! Of course. He couldn't seem to catch his gaze, however, but that didn't make the nice sensation go away.

 

With a cup of black coffee in his hand, Nathan walked up to the table, flashing the other a light grin. "Hey, long time no see. Do you still remember me?" Bailey had always seemed like the shy, geeky guy somewhere in the back of the classroom, but he was pretty cute. They didn't talk much, but somehow, the man had always attracted his attention. "Mind if I sit down?" He asked, motioning at the chair in front of him. He was curious to see how the people from his high school were doing... At least he hoped Bailey was doing better than him. Maybe he wasn't on the verge of losing sanity and all physical health. He certainly didn't seem that way. Nathan himself, though, looked a lot worse than he did in high school - although even then he constantly looked exhausted. Now he looked skinny, his skin of a more grey tone than a healthy brown. Honestly, he would've gone for help if he wasn't such a loser. He was kind of scared of other people judging him. He'd always been very conscious of what other people thought of him, even if his appearance said otherwise.

[BlaqueCatt]

Bailey typed furiously, only glancing at the keyboard every now and then as he tried to focus on his French assignment. He didn't want to acknowledge Nathan's presence, as he was positive that he would make a fool of himself if they ended up interacting. However, that decision was not up to him, apparently, and he paused when he heard footsteps approach him from behind. "Hey, long time no see. Do you still remember me?" He recognized the voice immediately - it was deeper and more gravelly than it had been in high school, but there was no mistaking it. His cheeks which had just returned to their normal pale white color, became tinted with pink once again. He couldn't explain it, but even now, years later, Nathan still managed to make him nervous.

 

Well, he is very handsome, Bailey thought as he turned halfway in his chair, looking up at the taller man and giving him a shy smile. "H-hi. Yeah, I remember you. Nathan Price." He made to stand up so they could shake hands, but stopped when the older man motioned to the seat across from him.

 

"Mind if I sit down?" Bailey's eyes widened slightly, and if he had still been a teenager, he would have stared open-mouthed for several moments, stuttering as he tried to speak. He had gotten better at communicating as he got older, though, and he responded with a nod.

 

"Of course, I don't mind." He looked down at his cup of tea and took another sip, trying to act casual. He couldn't help but notice the other man's thin body and the unhealthy hue of his skin, and he mentally frowned. Is he...still taking drugs? He blinked to push away the thought and closed his laptop, making eye contact with Nathan and trying not to blush even harder. "I haven't seen you in a while. How are you?" he asked, hoping to start a conversation.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan was pleasantly surprised as his ex-classmate mentioned his full name. "Well, there's definitely no need to be this formal. I'll call you Bailey, and you call me Nathan. Just like old times." He smiled widely, his expression nearly being enough to hide his sickly appearance. Maybe it was already too late for him to seek help either way. He accepted the fact that he would most likely die by now.

 

As he sat down, Nathan sipped his coffee, the hot liquid warming his numb body. "It's really been a while." He agreed with a light chuckle, leaning against the chair a bit. "I'm as good as I can be, I guess." He replied, looking away for a moment. He didn't really want to get into it. The empty space in his bed, or worse, a prostitute, still hurt. He was still taking way too many drugs, but he did have a job. Well, if dealing drugs could be thought of as a job.

 

"Your life seems to be going nicely. You working somewhere, or still studying?" Nathan directed the conversation away from himself, tilting his head to the side a little. It was a little bit sad to see people from his high school lead a so much better life than his own. Bailey really seemed to keep on the right path. "Maybe you're dating someone?" He asked with a chuckle, holding his coffee in both hands, feeling the slight burn. It didn't affect him that much anymore. Honestly, these days he just waited for that last, fatal dose to take his life. It would be freeing.

[BlaqueCatt]

Bailey couldn't help but return Nathan's smile, its brightness bringing a comfortable warmth to his chest. He was sure that the older man's expression would be even more beautiful if not for his sickly appearance. "O-okay, Nathan." A somewhat giddy feeling rose within him upon saying the others' name so casually. It was almost as if they were old friends. Like that would have been possible, he thought, absent-mindedly tracing patterns onto the side of his tea cup as he watched the white-haired man sit and sip at his coffee. We were part of different worlds. We still are. In high school, Bailey had been the quiet, studious type who spent most of their time alone in the library. Nathan, on the other hand, had always been surrounded by a gang-like following. He had been extremely popular, as almost everyone in the school had either feared or respected him. Even though he was not a girl, Bailey had admired Nathan and had wanted to become closer to him, despite his "bad-boy" image.

 

"It's really been a while. I'm as good as I can be, I guess." Bailey was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of Nathan's voice. He lifted his head to look at the other and nodded.

 

"Th-that's good," he replied lamely, hating the fact that he was reverting back to his incapable teenage-self. Whenever he had tried to have a conversation, he never knew what to say, and those he was speaking to would quickly lose interest.

 

"Your life seems to be going nicely. You working somewhere, or still studying?" Bailey was surprised by the question, not having expected to become the center of the conversation. He averted eye contact and fidgeted in embarrassment at being put on the spot.

 

"Um, well, I'm doing both. I have classes in the morning and work at night. I-I'm studying to become a translator. Uh, French, mostly." His smile had become shy once again. He was about to ask, 'What about you?' when Nathan abruptly changed the subject.

 

"Maybe you're dating someone?" Bailey froze, his cheeks blushing once again. What kind of question was that? And more importantly, why did Nathan suddenly seem so downtrodden? Had he said something wrong?

 

"Oh, uh, no, I'm not dating anyone." He wanted to say that he never had time to meet anyone, but the truth was he was invisible to almost everyone around him. "Um, and you?" He winced as soon as the question left his mouth. Why couldn't he be better at talking to people?

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan looked at Bailey with a somewhat nostalgic gaze. There was always something about the guy that was attractive. Not entirely in a physical way, but he seemed incredibly trustworthy. Like he would make a really good friend. Perhaps he would, but it was a little bit too late to try and find that out.

 

Hearing that his ex-classmate was working as well as studying made his heart clench a little bit. He really had his life in control. "That sounds great." He chuckled quietly, looking down at his coffee. He gave up hope on getting better himself a few months ago. It was too late, so who cared? Honestly, was there someone who actually cared for him at all?

 

"I... Used to date someone. She died." Nathan replied quietly, fingers tightening around the cup slightly. God, it still hurt to think about her. Shaking his head, the man managed a warm smile, sipping down the hot beverage. "Do you hang here often? I haven't really seen you around." He smiled, trying to steer the conversation away from him again. There didn't seem to be anything happy in his life left. It was pretty pathetic, wasn't it?

 

"Sorry if I'm making this depressing." He apologized with a light smile, as if he was joking. That was how he always went about his emotions, just play them off as a joke. Most of the time it worked, although keeping all of the bad feelings bottled up made him burst from time to time. One time he would end up killing someone in a fit of anger, that he was almost certain of. He just hoped it wouldn't be someone he cared for, or he would take his life as well. He'd had enough losses already.

[BlaqueCatt]

Bailey's blue eyes widened in horror when Nathan spoke of his girlfriend, and he put down his cup of tea, leaning forward slightly. "I-I'm so sorry." Though he had not known the girl, his heart ached for her, and for the man sitting across from him. His voice had dropped in volume, and he resisted the urge to reach across the table for Nathan's hand, knowing that they were still strangers. He was about to ask what her name was, in an attempt to trigger some happy memory, but the words died in his throat when he saw the way the other man's hands tightened around his coffee cup. He clearly doesn't want to talk about it...What could have happened? He allowed the white-haired man to change the subject, feeling that it was probably for the best, at least for now. He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands in his lap, no longer thirsty. "Um, I just recently started coming here, but I usually come once or twice a week. I, uh, I like the tea." He tried to lighten the other's mood with a small smile, but the pain he saw in Nathan's eyes made it much harder to ignore the dark atmosphere.

 

"Sorry if I'm making this depressing." The young man shook his head immediately, the smile fading as he gave Nathan a serious look.

 

"Don't be sorry, Nathan! I don't mind. You should talk to someone about those things. I-I'll listen if you want me to, even if I don't know the right thing to say." He spoke in a rush, and it was the least he had stuttered since they had started talking. Once he realized what he had done, he blushed again. "Sorry, I don't want to sound pushy. I just...I just think you should have someone to talk to."

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan shifted in his chair a bit uncomfortably as Bailey turned his attention to him. Honestly, the man didn't like being given attention about things like this. He disliked talking about personal matters in general. "The tea is pretty nice. I'm more of a coffee person, though." He agreed, a small smile playing on his face. Maybe they could go without this getting too sad or difficult for him to talk about?

 

As if. Bailey just continued speaking, until Nathan couldn't get himself to look up. A soft sigh passed his lips, which soon curled out into a small smile. "You haven't changed at all, you know?" He chuckled, forcing himself to look back up. It was true - Bailey was exactly how he remembered him being in high school. He always seemed ready to help, even when it wasn't in his favor. "I'll be fine, though. Just don't mention it." Nathan asked with a light smile before downing the rest of his coffee. Looking at the younger male, he began toying with the paper cup, slowly crushing it to toss out later. "It's a shame we didn't get closer during high school. I'm sure you would've made a great friend... That sounds a bit odd, doesn't it?" He laughed, shaking his head. "Though, if you feel like it, we could meet up again. I'll understand if you don't want anything to do with the likes of me." He laughed once more, a more playful expression on his face. It was almost confusing how quickly his emotions seemed to change. But, truly, his inner turmoil stayed the same. The likes of him. The drug addicts, the alcoholics, ones who'd lost their homes, family, friends, loved ones... Everything. He was lucky to still have a place to live in, although who knew how much longer he would be able to pay for it.

[BlaqueCatt]

Bailey's heart plummeted from his chest to his stomach when he saw Nathan's reaction. He stared at the white-haired man for a moment, completely at a loss for words. Nathan was clearly uncomfortable, and it was obviously Bailey's fault. I'm such an idiot! I shouldn't have said anything. I just made him feel worse... He bit his bottom lip, worrying it between his teeth as he struggled to think of a response. I only wanted to help...why do I always mess these things up? Just as he was about to apologize, Nathan sighed, catching Bailey's attention and rendering him silent in apprehension. He was surprised and confused by the taller man's smile and comment about his lack of change, and he shifted in his seat uncomfortably, still unsure of how to reply. His blue eyes, which had lowered to stare at the table after he realized the mistake he had made, glanced toward the other man as he timidly lifted his head. Is that...good or bad?

 

"Um..." He was cut off, though he was speaking so quietly he doubted Nathan had heard him, and this time he was surprised by the way in which Nathan casually waved the discussion away. He knew it had been uncomfortable, but Nathan was acting as if it didn't matter at all. As if it were a joke. And that made Bailey concerned and nervous. He sounds...really sad. That was an understatement. Bailey could sense Nathan's hidden distress, but had no idea how great it was, how deeply it reached, or what had caused it.

 

He was startled by the older man's offer to meet up again, and he nodded, hoping that he didn't appear too desperate. "I-I'd really like to see you again. I, um, wanted to be friends with you in high school, too." He blushed and smiled shyly. Perhaps he could be there for Nathan and get to know the man he had been thinking about since high school at the same time.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan felt like he was about to scream. The way Bailey looked, it was obvious the both of them were uncomfortable. Maybe he shouldn't have suggested this, it was probably better for the man to stay far away from such a druggie as him. Still... The other agreed, and Nathan hated to go back on his word. "You could've always just come up to me and said hi, you know?" He chuckled, unconsciously beginning to tear the paper cup into pieces. It wasn't in an angry manner, more of a nervous one. "You never really seemed interested in me, though, I have to say. I would've started a conversation myself, but you always seemed to be studying, or doing something that I shouldn't interrupt." He grinned, leaning back against the chair. The pieces of the cup were placed into a neat pile in front of him.

 

"Anyway... When are you free? I can meet up whenever, and maybe we could go for lunch? I'd love to hear more of how you're doing." Nathan smiled at the other, his leg beginning to bounce slightly. He needed to take another hit. Desperately. The way he looked didn't change, but he could already feel a headache coming, and the nausea that accompanied it. The only way to make those things go away was to drug himself again... That, or try to go to rehab, which he wasn't ready to do. He probably never would be. He wasn't strong enough to try and actually change things as big as this. Not even the death of his girlfriend was enough for him to get a grip. At least he'd see her again when he died.

[BlaqueCatt]

"You could've always just come up to me and said hi, you know?" Nathan chuckled and Bailey's face flushed in embarrassment. "You never really seemed interested in me, though, I have to say. I would've started a conversation myself, but you always seemed to be studying, or doing something that I shouldn't interrupt." The younger man's blue eyes widened in surprise. It had never seemed possible that someone as popular as Nathan would ever take an interest in him, let alone even think about talking to someone like him. It made him feel somewhat foolish, making assumptions like that.

 

"I-I guess I didn't really want to bother you," he replied quietly, averting eye contact as he wrung his hands together in his lap. "You always had a lot of people with you and I didn't think you'd want to spend time with me. I mean, you had other friends and I was just a nerd." His blush darkened and he glanced up at Nathan shyly. "It's nice to know that you wanted to talk to me too, though." He had always been horrible at socializing, especially when discussing something intimate. Reminiscing about high school probably wasn't very intimate to many people, but Bailey had never had many friends, and knowing that the man he had had a crush on had wanted to speak with him affected him greatly.

 

"Anyway... When are you free? I can meet up whenever, and maybe we could go for lunch? I'd love to hear more of how you're doing." Bailey was relieved that the tense atmosphere was gone and that they seemed to be getting along, but he couldn't help but notice Nathan's bouncing leg or other twitchy movements.

 

Maybe he's just as nervous as I am? The thought was comforting, and other possible reasons flew right over his head. He wasn't naive, but he always preferred to focus on what was positive before even considering the negatives. "Um, well, I take morning classes and work nights, so I have the afternoon off almost every day. Is that all right?"

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan smiled lightly as the other talked. It was true, he did always have a bunch of people around him, but most of them were either just as bad as he was, or completely clueless rich kids. Nathan had had several girlfriends and boyfriends during high school, sometimes two at a time. Needless to say, none of those relationships ended well or lasted more than half a year.

 

"Yeah, the afternoons work for me. Wanna meet up tomorrow? There's a nice cafe not too far away from here, we could get something to eat there." Nathan suggested with a light smile on his face, although his fidgeting didn't seem to be going anywhere. "Would something around three be okay for you? We could meet here and just walk." He added, his hands placed on his lap, his thumbs fiddling with one another slightly. He was trying to contain himself, so at least he was still keeping his gaze in one direction - Bailey. It was almost funny how people from the same high school class could end up in such different ways.

 

"Oh, give me your phone for a bit, I'll put in my number so you can get to me tomorrow." Nathan offered, holding one hand out. His sleeve had moved up a little bit, revealing his heavily scarred wrist, although it didn't seem like there were any fresh cuts. Then again, it was his right hand. The man needed help, that was for sure, but it was very unlikely he'd actually accept any.

[BlaqueCatt]

Bailey maintained eye contact with Nathan almost constantly while the other man spoke, except for the occasional quick glance to the side, an anxious habit that he had kept with him all throughout his school years. As he listened, he couldn't help but notice that Nathan's twitching hadn't stopped; in fact, it had gotten worse. He didn't turn his gaze away from the other's face, but he could see Nathan's leg bouncing out of the corner of his eye and feel the vibrations through his hands as the table moved. Is he okay? Nervousness was one thing, but Nathan also looked as though he were about to burst, and Bailey was getting more and more concerned by the moment.

 

"Um, yeah, there is good." He smiled at Nathan, though his heart nearly stopped when the other held out his hand. At first it was a warm kind of shock at having someone you like give you their phone number, but it quickly changed to horror when he noticed the deep cuts on the man's dark skin. A sense of dread filled him, and he didn't want to think about what could have driven Nathan to do such a thing. Bailey swallowed and turned away, reaching into his bag for his phone and pretending to not have seen it. It confirmed his earlier suspicions that Nathan needed help, but he wasn't going to say anything yet, lest he drive the other away. It would be easier to help him once they got to know each other.

 

"Here," he said, handing Nathan his phone. It was an Andriod phone with a simple blue case.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan let out another smile as he was handed the phone, quickly typing his phone number and name in, adding a winky smile face next to his name. "There, you'll know that's me." He grinned, giving it back. Looking down at his hand, his heart dropped before he quickly pulled his sleeve back down to hide everything. It didn't seem like Bailey had seen the scars, but he hated seeing them. He'd tried taking his life several times already. He hadn't done anything of the sort for at least a year now, mostly because he'd just given up. He was going to die soon anyway, so why try to speed up the process?

 

"I suppose that's that then. So tomorrow, at three, we meet in front of this shop, 'kay?" He asked once more, just to clear everything out. He desperately needed to get back home and take a hit. Maybe a few. He wasn't feeling that good. He blinked a few times before rubbing his eye slightly, finding his vision going blurry. Fuck. This wasn't good. Did he get something that wasn't good quality?.. Most likely. Shit. This was seriously bad. He just had to hope he could still get home in time... And then what? If he'd gotten something that wasn't pure, something of a mix, something bad quality, he was about as good as dead. Just his luck.

[BlaqueCatt]

Bailey accepted his phone and slipped it back into his bag. "Tomorrow at three," he agreed with a smile. The smile faded, however, when Nathan rubbed at his eyes. Bailey knew better than to assume the other man was only tired, even though he did look like he could use some rest; it seemed as though Nathan had been through hell and back, and for all Bailey knew, he very well could have been. "Um, are you okay?" he asked, trying to express his concern while at the same time not chasing Nathan away. "I don't have a car, but I could go home with you if you're sick, just to make sure you're okay." He hoped that he wasn't pushing his luck. There were rumors going around in high school that he was using drugs...is he using them now? It would explain his condition, both physically and mentally.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan could feel himself freeze up when Bailey asked if he was okay. His lips parting the man turned his gaze away in a nervous manner. Of course he wasn't okay, but that didn't mean he had to drag someone else into it. Then again, it was entirely possible he wouldn't manage to find the help necessary in time... "I don't want you to waste any time, but if you're really free and this won't interrupt anything... Then yeah, that'd be nice." He spoke, although the mere idea of Bailey knowing too much about his life disgusted him. He wouldn't be able to get anywhere on his own now, though. His eyesight was getting awfully blurry and his head was growing dizzy. He was screwed. He just hoped he would make it home in time to call someone. He didn't want to go blind just yet. Turning his gaze to Bailey, he let out a light, shaky smile. His body was screaming at him, begging for some kind of relief... He lived through this hell every day. He never could escape it, nor go back.

[BlaqueCatt]

Bailey let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding and smiled, his expression obviously relieved. "I'm not wasting any time, so don't worry." He stood up and slung his bag over his shoulder and across his chest before picking up his cup of tea, which was only half empty but too cold to continue drinking. Without any conscious thought he picked up Nathan's empty coffee cup and threw both of them into the trashcan next to the table, then turned to face the older man once more. "Um, do you need help walking?" he asked awkwardly, an embarrassed blush tinting his cheeks. "I don't mind, I just want to be ready so I, uh, don't accidentally drop you." He was being completely serious, though he knew how silly he probably sounded. He sighed inwardly before holding out his hand for Nathan to take. "So, where do you live?"

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan watched with a somewhat empty gaze as the remains of his cup were picked up as well. Even such a small gesture made him cringe. It was weird to have people he hadn't seen in years care about him. It didn't make sense. "I can walk." He muttered, slowly standing up from the chair. Pulling his hood up, the man let out a quiet sigh. "If I do fall, call the contact named 'Jay'... Just tell him I wasn't feeling good and then leave." He said, looking at the other with a firm gaze. He wasn't about to let Bailey get into the mess he'd made of his life. "I live right down the street... It's not far away." The dark-skinned male added before pushing both hands into his pockets and stepping outside. His steps were clearly shaky, and he could feel himself getting dizzy. Even worse, his eyesight was seriously blurred. Since it was snowing outside, he felt pretty much blind already. Glancing behind him where he presumed Bailey would be, he motioned towards the direction to his house. "It's that way." Right after saying, he coughed a few times, covering his mouth with his hand in case there was blood. His body was probably on the edge of shutting down... So be it.

[BlaqueCatt]

Bailey's smile vanished and he awkwardly retracted his hand, gripping the strap of his messenger bag tightly as he silently followed Nathan out of the cafe. Great, now I've freaked him out... He bit his lip, watching the taller man sway slightly on his feet, his own body twitching as he resisted the urge to reach out and steady him; he didn't want to make Nathan any more uncomfortable than he already was. But...he looks really sick. "If I do fall, call the contact named 'Jay'... Just tell him I wasn't feeling good and then leave." Bailey's eyes widened at the glare Nathan was directing at him. He nodded in understanding, but he couldn't help but feel somewhat suspicious of Nathan's tone. It was like the other man was hiding something from him. It's none of my business. We just met again after at least three years. Despite telling himself this, Bailey couldn't help but worry. "Um..." He quickened his strides so that he was walking next to Nathan. "Are you sure you don't want to go to a hospital or something?" he asked nervously.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Bailey's question sent a shudder down his spine. "No." He snapped, his hands squeezing into fists inside his pockets. Moments after, shame crossed over his face. "I-... I'll be fine." Nathan added quietly, looking down at the sidewalk. The hood shielded him not only from the wind, but from Bailey's eyes as well. He doubted they would be meeting for their lunch tomorrow after all. His head was spinning so bad it was beginning to hurt. He was almost home... Just a little more. Of course, he wasn't meant to reach his house, was he? Tripping on his own feet, Nathan landed face-first into the snow, a loud groan leaving his mouth as he stumbled to his knees. He held onto his nose, the pain clearing his mind for at least a little bit. "Fuck!" He exclaimed, holding his bleeding nose. It felt broken. "Oh my god." He whispered, exhaling slowly as he looked up at Bailey. "Now this is embarrassing." He tried to joke, but it was hard to do in this situation. "Can you please call Jay? Tell him to come pick me up." He murmured, hoping that Bailey understood his words as he pulled out his phone, with one hand still holding his nose.

[BlaqueCatt]

The brunette flinched when Nathan snapped at him, taking an involuntary step back, his grip on his messenger bag strap so tight that the knuckles on both hands were turning white. A soft sound escaped past his lips as he struggled to think of something to say. Should he apologize? Should he try to convince Nathan to see a doctor? The dark-skinned man was facing away from him now, his face hidden by his hood, and Bailey desperately wanted the other man to look at him. Maybe if he was able to see Nathan's eyes, he could figure out what was wrong, how to help. The soft sound turned into a gasp when Nathan fell, his eyes going impossibly wide at the sight of blood dripping onto the snow covering the sidewalk. He dropped to his knees next to Nathan and put his left hand on the man's shoulder, using his right hand to take the phone from him. "I'm calling him," he reassured Nathan, trembling fingers swiping across the screen of the phone and opening the contacts. "But I'm not going to leave." Though his voice was quiet, his tone was determined. "I-I don't know why you don't want me to meet him, but I'll get out of your hair as soon as you see a doctor, okay?" He pressed the dial button, worrying his lip between his teeth as he waited for someone to pick up.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan rolled his eyes, a small smile pulling at his lips. "Fine, fine." He murmured, not even trying to stand up. He doubted he would manage to last long enough without falling down. Instead, he leaned against the wall, breathing slowly through his mouth while keeping his eyes on Bailey. That guy barely knew him, but here he was, ready to help someone who was pretty much a stranger. It was odd, to say the least.

 

"'Sup?" At last, someone picked up. The man's voice seemed a bit hoarse, most likely from smoking. "What'd ya need?" The voice inquired before Bailey could say anything. Nathan stared at the young brunette, ready to snatch his phone back in case he said something wrong. Jay was, well, basically his best friend. From time to time - his lover, but that was only for sex. Other than that, he got most of his drugs to deal from him. Their relationship was a tad complicated, but Nathan liked to think they were close.

[BlaqueCatt]

The hoarseness of the man's voice surprised Bailey, but his surprise was almost immediately overtaken by relief at having contacted someone who could help Nathan. He didn't think it was strange at all to help this man; he would have done the same for anyone else. It was just his nature - naive and too gentle for his own good. "Um, hello," he stuttered, clutching the phone tightly in his hand. If his hands had been free, he would have been wringing them together - it was one of his most common nervous ticks. "Um, Nathan is in trouble. He was really shaky, and then he fell and now his nose is bleeding. I think it might be broken. I don't have a car, and he needs to go to the hospital, but he can't walk all the way there. Could you come help? We're outside of the cafe on Main Street." Bailey spoke in a rush, occasionally tripping over his words as he explained the situation. Whenever he talked to someone, he either stuttered or spoke too quickly. It was worse when the person was a stranger.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

The man on the other line seemed to tense up when he heard someone else speak. After Bailey was finished, a heavy sigh left his mouth. "Tell 'im I'll be right there. That idiot. Thanks for telling me, hun." Jay muttered into the phone before ending the call. Nathan raised his eyebrow, looking at Bailey for a few moments before extending his hand for his phone. "I can't believe I got you into the mess." He sighed, leaning his head back against the wall. The man seemed genuinely sorry about the situation, despite the fact that he was hurt. He cared about Bailey more than he cared about himself, at least in the moment. "I'll be sure to text you about tomorrow... If you still wanna meet." He trailed off, his gaze questioning as he turned it back to his ex-classmate. "If we do meet up, I promise it'll be better." Nathan managed a small smile, looking somewhere behind Bailey now. He was just staring off into space. He didn't want Bailey to get involved with him too much. It wouldn't do the brunette any good.