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.

[london_spy]

The man was up before Danny could insist he buy his own, and he sat awkwardly alone, watching as a girl came over to mop the floor. He apologised several times as she picked up the broken glass, but she just told him it was alright, and asked him if he would like something more to eat.

When he declined, she left him alone again.

[old_man_gavril]

Gavril came back with the tea, and set it in front of Danny. "There you go," he said, settling down back to his chair.

The senses that Skadi gave her children, if the legends were true, didn't fail Gavril entirely, though. He was beginning to realize that the man smelled ill. Or perhaps it was more of a feeling. A recognition. Granted, his human senses were telling him that the man was in need of care.

The beast, however, was telling him that the man needed to be culled.

Fortunately for both of them, Gavril was in charge of himself, always.

"If you think you'll be okay, I'll leave you alone with your tea," Gavril offered. "Feels like I'm just gonna sit here and worry about you, otherwise, and I doubt you want that kind of attention if you think you'll be fine."

[london_spy]

"Well, I am always fine," Danny said quietly, offering a tired smile. "If you want to leave, I understand. ...If you want to chat, however, you're welcome to stay. Your worry is unnecessary though, there's nothing to be done for what's wrong with me. Not beyond what I'm already doing."

[old_man_gavril]

"Yeah, why not, I got nowhere to be, and you seem like a nice fellow," Gavril said, taking his seat again.

"So what do you do for a living?" he asked, figuring he'd start there.

[london_spy]

"I don't do anything, currently. I inherited some money though, so- Well, for the first time ever, I sort of have the luxury of looking for a job I want, rather than one I need," Danny admitted.

[old_man_gavril]

"That's nice," Gavril said, genuinely. "I guess I'm lucky. The job I got's the same as the one I want and need." Except not really 'need.' Gavril had some money safely tucked away, in case of emergencies. Or for trips to Ireland every now and again.

[london_spy]

"Sounds brilliant," Danny nodded. "What is it you do then?"