hex

[pixiesweat]

Manuel’s first ever ambulance ride wasn’t one he was going to remember very well; most of it had already faded into a blur. He vaguely remembered sitting in an alleyway listening to the sound of sirens getting closer and thinking he should move before they reached him. He remembered lights. It seemed like it was only a few seconds later when they arrived at the hospital.

By the time they got there he was already more alert. He was actually focusing on what was going on around him, watching the world with wide, frightened eyes. He was finally able to keep a train of thought going long enough to realise how big this mess had the potential to get. He was sure he remembered the woman who’d been with him mentioning a “possible mugging” to the emergency services – were they going to send the police? He really didn’t want to try to explain a vampire bite to the human police force. Or the human medical staff. And he didn’t have the first clue what he was going to say if somebody asked to call his parents.

He wished he’d managed to disappear into the night when he’d had the chance.

He was still pale and sweaty. There were red, already swollen marks on his upper arms and left wrist from being manhandled by the vampire. They weren’t serious injuries, but he was going to have some impressive bruises. His neck had already stopped bleeding, but whoever looked underneath the blood-soaked gauze was in for a bit of a surprise.

((Relevant thread is here, btw c:))

Comments

[pixiesweat]

"They're not fun." His secrets definitely weren't fun, at least.

[just_hex]

"How can I know that unless you tell me?" he pressed.

[pixiesweat]

"I'm not supposed to tell anyone."

[just_hex]

"You can tell me," he replied. "I'll believe you and I won't tell anyone. You won't be in trouble..."

[pixiesweat]

"But I'm not... I shouldn't even be here. I need to go." As if he was in any state to leave the hospital.

[just_hex]

"Oh, you can rest a bit," Hex said, giving him a pat and gently holding him in the bed.

[pixiesweat]

"I don't need to," he said. Very sleepily.

[just_hex]

"Shh, just for a minute," he said. "Here, let me pull up the blanket."

He pulled it up from the foot of the bed. The thermal blanket was thin but quite warm and the bed was quite comfortable.

"Close your eyes. Just for a minute."

[pixiesweat]

"I'm not..." He was actually starting to have trouble keeping his eyes open. "I don't..."

[just_hex]

"I know. But just a small rest. Just a minute," Hex says, his voice soothing and soft. "It's alright, Manuel. You're safe here. Close your eyes."

[pixiesweat]

He tried to say something that turned into an unintelligible sleepy mumble. He was having more and more trouble keeping his eyes open.

[just_hex]

"That's it. Out you go," he said softly. He'd probably get a talking to, spending so much time with a patient who wasn't a trauma but he didn't care.

[pixiesweat]

He drifted off to sleep, finally. It would be a few hours before he woke up.

[just_hex]

Hex had other things to do, other patients to tend to, and so he let Manuel sleep in peace. When he finally came back he saw the young man was asleep.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

[pixiesweat]

Manuel had only just woken up. He rubbed one eye sleepily.

"Better," he said. His head felt way less fuzzy.

[just_hex]

"Good. Now, Manuel, I do need some details of what happened. Are you ready to talk about it?" he asked gently.

[pixiesweat]

He hesitated, nervous now that Hex was asking questions again. "I said I didn't remember."

The lie was not at all convincing. He was very clearly just trying to avoid talking about it, whatever it was.

[just_hex]

"I think you do. You won't be in trouble if you tell me, you know," he said, his voice still soft and gently.

[pixiesweat]

"I don't," he said, a pleading look in his eyes this time. He just wanted Hex to leave it alone.

[just_hex]

"Then I'll have to let the police in, Manuel," he said apologetically.

[pixiesweat]

This was exactly what he hadn't wanted to happen.

"You don't need to," he said, starting to sound desperate. "You don't. It's fine."

[just_hex]

"Then tell me, Manuel," Hex pressed. "What happened?"

[pixiesweat]

"It wasn't that bad," he said. "It's all right and you don't... you don't need to worry about it."

[just_hex]

"Let me be the judge of that. Tell me, please?" he asked.

[pixiesweat]

"It really wasn't bad," Manuel insisted. He was starting to cry.