OTA

[london_spy]

He'd come into the new year clean, and intended to do his best to stay that way. More importantly, he was back on his medication and back to eating regular meals- Not that it seemed to be helping much. Some damage couldn't be undone easily though, and Danny was still painfully underweight. Worse still, he was a bit under the weather, and couldn't get in to see his doctor until the end of the month.

It was just a bug, that's what he kept telling himself- And only himself. He didn't want to worry Hex with this, the other man had already gone through so much because of him. Had put up with so much...

He'd pushed himself through a job interview that morning, and was supposed to stop off for groceries next, but a dizzy spell had nearly left him flat on the pavement. So instead he'd wandered into a small cafe, ordering a cup of tea and a sandwich before settling into the last booth in the corner. His hand trembled every time he lifted his mug, and he knew he looked a little pale. 

"It's fine," he whispered to himself. "You're fine. It's fine..."

Taking a calming breath, he lifted his cup again, his hand shaking so hard this time that it fell from his fingers. It bounced off the table, rolling a little before smashing on the floor, coating the shoes of a person walking past.

"Sorry- Shit, I'm so sorry," he said, reaching for some napkins as he spoke.

Comments

[old_man_gavril]

"Hey, it's no worries," Gavril said, looking down at his shoes. Nothing a little wipe-down wouldn't fix. He sat down in an empty chair to take some napkins and wipe off his own shoes.

"You okay?" he asked, once he was a little more level with the guy. He was shaking pretty badly. Maybe it was a blood sugar issue, or worse, maybe the guy was on drugs...

[london_spy]

"Fine," Danny replied, holding out the napkins he'd already grabbed in offering. "I'm just- A bit under the weather."

An understatement, obviously, but Danny didn't know what else to tell a stranger.

"I really am sorry though."

[old_man_gavril]

"Like I said, it's fine," Gavril said, more concerned about this guy than his shoes. "These boots have been through worse." He took the napkins, though, to finish off wiping his boots off.

But as far as 'a bit under the weather' went, the guy looked like he was about ready to pass out or something.

"You sure you're okay? I mean, I don't have a car, but I can escort you to a hospital or something, if you're feeling as bad as you look. No offense," he added.

[london_spy]

"No, no I- I um..."

I'm HIV positive, and today's a bad day.

"My immune system's just a bit shot. I think I'm coming down with something, but- It's fine, I'm fine. I'm going to see a doctor soon. I just needed to sit a while."

[old_man_gavril]

"Okay, well, y'know. No need to get anxious or anything," Gavril assured him. He wasn't worried about contracting human illness; Gavril had never been ill in his life. "That'll probably just make it worse, yeah? Anyway, I'm Gavril." It was one of his days the pub was closed and he was off, so he had nothing better to do than sit and talk to a stranger.

[london_spy]

"Danny," he replied, studying the man curiously with eyes that saw more than most people expected them to. Danny wore the face of a young man who'd not treated himself well. Gaunt, pale, with lines and marks born from years of clubbing and drugs, rather than age. Cleaning up his act hadn't faded them at all.

"I'm not anxious though. I don't know what's causing the shaking. ...Side effect of my medication, for all I know."

[old_man_gavril]

Gavril wasn't one to judge a man by his looks. He was just more or less concerned about the guy and all the shaking. Shaking wasn't ever a good thing.

"That's ... definitely something to talk to a doctor about," Gavril said, nodding. And the winner for 'Most Useless Thing Said' goes to...

"Look, I got nothing planned today. You need someone to walk you home once you're done?" he asked, gesturing to the unfinished sandwich.

[london_spy]

"I'll be fine, really," Danny assured him. "I just- I just need some caffeine in me. I don't want to head home yet, the boyfriend will worry if I turn up looking like this."

[old_man_gavril]

"Well, lemme buy you another tea, then," Gavril offered. "And your boyfriend would be well to worry if you did," Gavril said, with no judgment in his tone. He worried enough just seeing a random stranger like this.

Not one to take no for an answer with his kindness, Gavril was already getting up to go order him another cup of tea.

[alcuin]

"It's fine," Alcuin said automatically, "here, I'll help - " And only as he reached for the napkins as well did he realize that he knew the person who had dropped the cup. "... Danny."

He hadn't seen the man since their chance encounter in the supermarket. The whole thing had been awkward, leaving Alcuin feeling as if he had intruded on the man's life. And in retrospect, his attempt to seek some kinship in their shared painful circumstances was probably misguided. Which made the timing of seeing him again particularly vexing, as it brought up a flood of unpleasant associations.

Danny didn't look well. Neither did Alcuin, though it was nothing in comparison, just bags under his eyes and wrinkled clothes and a poor pallor - from stress, not illness.

[london_spy]

The boy from the supermarket, Danny couldn't recall his name, but he remembered their meeting quite vividly.

"...Here," he said awkwardly, holding the napkins out in offering. "I'm sorry," he said again.

[alcuin]

"It's fine," Alcuin repeated, and took the napkins from him, bending down to wipe the tea off of his shoes, and then mopping up a bit on the floor between the shattered cup. "We should ask them for a broom, I don't want anyone cutting themselves on the pieces."

[london_spy]

Danny nodded, unsteady as he tried to get to his feet- Only to see a girl from behind the counter rushing over with a mop. She was lovely, insisting she get him a fresh cup as she cleaned up the mess- But it only made Danny feel even more useless as she left.

His hand was still shaking, and he clenched it as he tried to still it.

[alcuin]

"Are you all right?" Alcuin asked, looking down at his shaking hand. He started to reach out to put a hand on his arm, but then thought better of it.

[london_spy]

"I'm a bit under the weather," Danny confessed, and it wasn't a lie, though it wasn't the whole truth.

"My immune system is... Not very good."

[alcuin]

Alcuin hesitated and then said, "You ah, you told me when we met. I apologize, maybe that was a stupid question. I meant more in the immediate."

[london_spy]

"...I have an appointment coming up with my doctor. I was off my medication for a while, and I'm still adjusting to being back on my regiment," Danny confessed.

[pippa_flynn]

"Oh, bollocks," Pippa huffed, immediately picking up a napkin to dry off her Jimmy Choos. "Just an accident, I'm sure."

She got the tea off and then looked at the young man who looked a bit rough. She could see his hands shaking.

"Are you alright?"

[london_spy]

"Fine," Danny said, offering more napkins. "I'm just a bit unwell. ...I'm really sorry though, about your shoes."

[pippa_flynn]

"Yeah, you don't look well at all. Do you need some help?"

She wasn't entirely inhuman, despite the changes that had come about. She still had it in her heart to be kind to those in need.

[london_spy]

"No- No, I just- I need to sit for a while. I've been walking too much today, I think. ...I don't know," he confessed with an uncomfortable laugh.

[pippa_flynn]

Without invitation, Pippa sat down across from him. She had an air of owing the place- something she simply exuded. Everywhere she went, she seemed she was meant to be there.

"Let's have another cup of tea," she said, waving to the counter girl who was on her way out with a mop. "Two more, love," she called across the distance. The girl nodded and told the other server to make two cups while she came over to mop up and pick up the shattered pieces of Danny's cup.

[london_spy]

"You don't have to do that," Danny said- Though she already had. There was something about her though, something that made him uneasy. He just couldn't put his finger on what yet... Other than she seemed so bloody confident that he couldn't help but be reminded of all the spooks he'd dealt with after losing Alex.

[pippa_flynn]

"Oh, it's no bother. And I was going to get tea anyway," she said airily. "But I should probably introduce myself if I'm going to intrude on your day. I'm Pippa. Pippa Flynn," she smiled.

[london_spy]

"Danny," he replied, pausing a beat and then awkwardly adding. "Um, Danny Holt."

Not that his name was important, it just felt so formal saying it in full.