Vampire Without a Bite (LukeDeadwood and Gumdrop)

[PrincessGumdrop]

Ezra has always been a little rough around the edges. He just liked to mess around in places he wasn't supposed to be as a kid, if he had a chance he would fight for the smaller kids that were getting bullied. He wasn't very good at it, but it didn't really matter as long as the smaller kids didn't get pummeled. So it was no surprise that at the ripe age of 22 he got kicked out of college for fighting with a professor about her unfair grading practices. It was a tad of a surprise that he had punched a kid that came to her defense, but in all fairness, the guy was an asshole and totally deserved the punch to the face. Regardless if he was simply protecting the professor. It wasn't like he would have hit her...well unless she punched and then all bets were off. All this being said he was understandably in a shit mood as he walked the streets of the slightly wrong side of the tracks.

The man had not grown up rich or anything and enjoyed living in his neighborhood of 'maybe you shouldn't go there...but it's not the worst.' So ultimately he felt at home where he was. The slightly dingy streets where he could wear baggy clothing and not get looked at funny. Granted with the dingy came the poorly lit streets and at nearly three in the morning he probably should have been at home already. Ezra didn't care though, he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts. What was he going to do next? He had always been good with his hands, maybe he could become a mechanic? Granted he was pretty sure that required more schooling and he was already in some debt with his current...well former school. He sighed as he kicked a can out of the way.

That's when he heard another noise. He listened in for a moment, yeah, that sound was familiar. Flesh hitting flesh. He moved in a bit closer, was someone getting into a fight? And closer still he got as he flowed the sound of pounding flesh. He peaked around the corner into an alley way. "HEY!" he shouted the moment he saw a group of people around just one man, "Leave him the fuck alone!" He stopped just out of reach of the attackers, hoping that he could just scare them off rather than having to fight. "I'll call the police," he threatened, grabbing his phone from his pocket and feigning like he was going to dial. He knew what would happen in this area...it would take the police forever to get there and even if they managed nothing would get done. "Get the fuck away!" he growled, gripping his phone a bit tighter.

 

[LukeDeadwood]

It didn't take Red long at all to realize this had been a planned beating. The threats to steal away his regular customers and the goading should've been the first clue. The first crack to his nose once he'd been lured far enough away from the safety of his bar should've been the second. The third clue should've been when three more people came seemingly out of the shadows themselves to join the first. He should've known better. This wasn't his first go-round with this exact company. He knew better. But he couldn't stand the thought of them just...flaunting what they were like it was some kind of fucking blessing. It made him sick. Made his blood boil. And he didn't think twice about taking off after them like the hotheaded idiot he was.

It was all afterthought now as his arms were forced behind his back by one of the offenders, the other three more than happy to take their disdain of him out on him. It's not always the same people that team up against him. Just the ring-leader usually stayed the same. 'Turk', as Red had learned the nickname was. A stupid nickname with a stupid face to match.

Red didn't need to look in a mirror to know there was bruising along his face, maybe even a vessel in his left eye busted just like his bottom lip was if the blooming pain and the wonky vision were any indicator. He could even take an educated guess on how his ribs were holding up. The taste of blood on his tongue was really all he needed to know that he wasn't going to be working the next few nights. Not comfortably, anyway, if he was even able to roll himself out of bed once he was able to finally crawl into it.

The next blow causes Red's head to snap to the right. He feels his neck pop from the force and he bites his tongue, adding to the iron already flooding his senses. Spitting the blood to the concrete he pants, glaring daggers up at the head offender. "Hah...look at that...finally felt one..." The punch to his stomach makes him wheeze and forces the air from his lungs. Woozy and lightheaded he's finally released, ungracefully falling to his knees as he can't seem to feel his legs and instinctively wraps his arms around him. A pathetic shield that makes him sneer at himself and his next action consists of him spitting at the bastard that started this whole ordeal. There's a look of anger that matches Red's own and he fully expects the blow coming his way--

Red would be lying if he said the shouting at the entrance of the alley didn't spook him. He jumped, immediately wincing and biting back his groan of pain. For a second his eyes blur and he has to forced them to refocus, having to brace himself up with a hand so he doesn't fall as he leans over to see around the -- lack for better words -- thug-like bully. He could've laughed though if his entire body didn't feel like it would crumble if he did; the threat about the police was laughable if not a bit sad. He knew the type of people that worked the night shift for the police. They wouldn't do shit for the likes of him.

"You know this guy?"

Red rolled eyes despite the ache in the one, not having in in him to feel anything but spite in the way the four glanced curiously between themselves, the stranger and himself. Yeah, sure. Because he definitely knew everyone in the city and all the street rats by name. Of course. Dipshits. Turk always was all brawn and no brain.

"Fucking moron."

The comment gets a boot to his shoulder. He's not quite able to bite back his pained grunt as he's fully forced to the ground, landing on his side and feeling his ribs protest the sudden shift in his weight. But that pain doesn't quite get to him the way the question from one of the men above him does:

"Then how about we have a little bit more fun with him?"

He freezes, the cold hand of panic gripping at his chest and showing on his face clear as day. 'Shit-' He knew what these people were capable. The things they've done, the things they've gotten away with, and the things they do to people for fun. They weren't human and didn't have to play fair if they didn't want to. He didn't know the young man but he didn't wish the hell he experienced everyday on anyone. He knew better than anyone what kind of plague his "condition" was. Vampirism was a curse and most vampires he knew were all the same: power-hungry leeches.

It's the spike of pure adrenaline that makes Red able to peel himself off the ground when their backs are turned on him. Briefly and discreetly his nails change, small yet sharp claws that he reaches out and sinks into the sensitive junction where Turk's neck meets his shoulder. Red doesn't need to see the blow to know that it's coming. He's done this before. Faster than what any human or untrained eye could track an elbow smashes into his jaw and he hears a solid crack before his face feels like it's on fire and an awful ringing drowns out his hearing. He's on the ground again and he's only barely able to curl up before he's again, a second, then a third time. He doesn't hear what's said, but he knows it's some slur or another. Empty insults thrown around like with the other times before.

He barely registers the feet stepping over him as Turk and the others run off into the dark, their mood for "playing" effectively ruined. Red doesn't immediately move from his spot, eyes shut tight and curled up as he can only wait for the vertigo spell to pass. The way his stomach twists with nausea he knows he'll end up hurling if he tries to get up now.

 

[PrincessGumdrop]

Ezra eyed the men when he finally managed to get their attention. He almost instantly regretted it too, it wasn't long before they were headed towards him, "Fuck," he hissed under his breath, taking a step back. He squared up though, looking like he was ready to fight. There was no way he would make it. The guy they had been using as a punching bag looked stronger than him and that was never a good sign. He raised his hands, with just a tad of shakiness to them. He was ready, he'd fight the best he could but before he could even start yelling at the massive bullies again the red-headed fellow was up and down in a blink of an eye. "What the-" he trailed off. He was too confused as to what had just happened to even remotely stop the new beating the stranger was getting.

He watched as the three men left, his stance relaxing and his eyes slowly moving to take in the bloody pulp that was the guy he had tried to save. "Shit!" he cursed, realizing that he needed to actually get moving and not leave this man bleeding to death on the streets. He hurried over and kneeled down, "Hey, hey come on, let's get you out of here," he murmured, his hand slowly moving to touch the man's arm. "I'm not gonna hurt you. Shit, you're cold..." he said, as his fingers touched his skin. "That can't be a good sign...fuck...um..." he started, biting his lip a bit before standing back up and making his way back over to the entrance of that alleyway. He supposed he could get this guy to his apartment, it wasn't that much further.

Ezra looked back over to the stranger and then back the way he needed to go. He really should call an ambulance...but that was the same issue as the police. No, his apartment would be the best bet. He moved back over to the man and moved to help him up. "Come on, let's get you out of here," he tried. "Can you stand? Walk?" he asked. God, he wasn't even sure if the man was conscious. "Sorry for being such an idiot. Here I was trying to help you and you end up getting even more beat up." He had always been a bit of a talker, regardless if the other was awake or not he was going to babble on.

 

[LukeDeadwood]

Red barely noticed it when the stranger rushed to his side. He could only hear a muffled voice and only vaguely felt the touch on his arm. He might've flinched if he hadn't just had the absolute shit knocked out of him. Maybe he should just count his lucky stars that his jaw was still attached to his head. He could've literally lost his head if it had been a much stronger vampire. He would know. He's seen it happen with his own eyes. And much worse. Nightmares that used to come easily didn't seem to stay long anymore though. He wasn't sure what was worse: the numbness to seeing others murdered like that, or the numbness to the idea that he could be the one dead at any time should someone decide to finally finish him off.

His ear pops again and the pressure is relieved, the ringing clearing and he can finally hear again. He takes the chance to open his eyes and immediately regrets it. The world spins around him as he moves and subconsciously he reaches out to brace himself against the man that tried to help. Grabbing on to them his free hand covers his mouth, resisting every urge to throw up. As normal of a reaction as it was, it wouldn't make him feel any better. He'd only end up feeling worse and possibly stuck wearing his own sick for God only knows how long. "Fuck-" The world slips out and he grits his teeth, ignoring the flaring pain as he instead drops his hand to the ground to hold himself up.

Blinking rapidly Red desperately tries to steady himself and finally realizes the man's been speaking. Something about standing and walking and Red honestly wished he had an answer for that. "M..maybe?" There was no shot that he could support himself right now. Usually he ended up laying in the spot he was left for a few hours; waiting for his healing to kickstart itself before he would crawl back to the safety of his home like a beaten mutt.

Waiting for his healing might just be more like watching paint dry: agonizingly slow. With as weak and unhealthy as he was, he was amazed he even had the ability to heal. It took a long time to take effect, but still, he had it and it's come in clutch before. That's what mattered.

Taking a shuddery breath, he manages to at least get a clear-ish look at the man. The finer details were blurred and every few seconds his vision seemed to cross, but it seemed to be stabilizing for the moment. "Who the...fffuck...jumps in l...like that?" Red's speech is slurred and speaking makes his head hurt even worse. But his curiosity at the fact that somebody as reckless and dumb like himself was just happened along like that was overwhelming and astounding as a whole. Was it good luck, or bad? He didn't have the faintest clue.

 

[PrincessGumdrop]

Ezra caught the other when he braced himself up against him. "Oh, it's cool, no worries, I got you," he said as he felt the other still trying to stabilize himself. He watched as the other fought back throwing up and winced a bit. This man really needed a doctor...maybe he could call from his apartment? It still wasn't in the greatest of places but it was better than where they currently were. How was this guy not dead? Then the other finally started to answer him. Maybe, he could work with a maybe. "Alright, then let's just try and get you standing without falling over first. Lean on me as much as you need, okay, I'll carry you if I have to. We just need to get you out of here..." he explained, doing his best to help the other up no matter how slowly that went.

He laughed at the next question, "Honestly, I think your attackers put it best, a fucking moron," he said, laughing once more. "I couldn't just leave you there, it wouldn't have felt right. Though, it seems I really wasn't much help anyway. Sorry again. You really didn't have to do that, I could have handled it on my own. Plus, who the hell is getting jumped at 3 in the morning! You should be in bed," he said, chuckling. "So let's get you there, come on, my place is only a few blocks from here."

He took a few steps after managing to get the stranger to stand, just to see if he would come with or if he even could. He really didn't want to force the man, but at the same time...this guy was really cold and it was starting to worry Ezra. He kept checking to see if the man's lips were blue. He would glance towards the fingernails, those turned blue too right? The only thing he really could see was red and purple, there was just blood and bruises. Hell, he was pretty sure there were some bruises on top of bruises. Ezra started to wonder if he had enough in the med kit he had back home. He was pretty sure he had some ice packs and maybe a bit of gauze, but if this man needed any stitching...what if he had internal bleeding? Ugh, he really should be taking this man to the hospital.

 

[LukeDeadwood]

What would've been a laugh came out more like a pained wheeze. A fucking moron. Yeah, that sounded about right. The thought made him grin before it was quickly replaced with a grimace. His body really didn't want to move. His joints wanted to lock up and his bones themselves felt like they creaked and protested with every little movement. 'Dammit!' Silently cursing to himself he bites on his busted lip, barely muffling himself as all of his nerves and bruises throbbed with pain. He felt dizzy and closed his eyes again, each breath of his shaking as he inhaled and exhaled through his nose. For a moment Red wondered if maybe he wouldn't have been able to make it home. With the way he's feeling now, he might've been stuck where he was left until the sun came up. Then he'd really be fucked.

By the time he managed to get upright he felt about as useless as a white crayon. His ears were ringing again and he just barely caught the tail end of what the man had been saying. The beginning of a protest started with "No-" and died on his lips as quickly as it began. It took more effort than he liked biting back the cry of pain that threatened to spill out. 'And here I thought it couldn't get worse...' He had to have been putting all of his weight on the man and he hated that. He hated the reality of having to rely on someone so much, and a stranger no less. It was upsetting in ways he just couldn't express.

Red felt breathless as he panted, missing every glance the stranger sent his way. He literally didn't have the breath to explain why somebody taking him home was a bad idea. There was reason after reason he could supply. But he wasn't an any physical condition to refuse the offer. If it was even an offer. He wasn't entirely sure. He honestly wasn't sure if he was actually hearing the man speak or if he was just hallucinating through the tinnitus and the sound of his blood trying to rush through his ears. It was hard to tell, and feeling like gravity was holding on to him with a tighter grip wasn't helping either of them.

 

[PrincessGumdrop]

Ezra was patient as the other suffered through getting up and attempting to move, but then he heard the no. "Look, calling you an ambulance out here is going to get the same results as calling the police. They are more likely to come to my place then here...so just deal with it. I'm not going to hurt you, I promise," he said and attempted to move again. At least until he get the other slip a bit. This man just wasn't able to hold himself even a little. He sighed and moved, sliding the best he could in front of the man. He kneeled down and just let the other fall on his back. He grunted a bit at the weight, but he was pretty sure he could make it. So with that he adjusted his arms and lifted the other the best he could before standing up and starting his way to his home.

Really it would be so much easier to just leave this stranger out on the streets...so much easier to just have ignored what was happening but he couldn't. He hated when people were picked on. Ezra was pretty sure he felt even worse because it looked like this stranger could normally handle himself. Granted with whatever those men had done...They just moved way too fast. He nibbled on his lip as he replayed how fast everything had happened. What the hell were those guys? He sighed and shook his head moving as quickly as he could to his apartment without jostling his passenger too much.

Once he managed to get home he shifted awkwardly to grab his keys and unlock the door, leaning up against the wall so he didn't have to put the stranger down. As he got inside he moved directly to his couch and set the other down as gently as possible before heading back to his door and closing it. He hesitated before locking it and then moved towards his kitchen to grab the first aid kit. "Hey, I'm gonna just patch you up some and then call an ambulance, okay?" he called, not really sure how well the other could hear him by then. Ezra came back into the living area and knelt in front of the stranger. "Okay, let's get you cleaned up," he said and grabbed the slightly damp cloth he had wet before coming into the room and started to dab at the man's face and hands to clear any blood from him to make sure he could see what they were working with.

"My name's Ezra, by the way...what's yours?" he asked, just to get some kind of conversation going between them.

 

[LukeDeadwood]

If Red hadn't already learned his lesson, he would've laughed again. He was well past the point of worrying about getting hurt. That just seemed to be the way his life rolled now. Even when he wasn't being the fool and starting it. He was just the easy target that made enemies out of virtually everyone he disliked. Save for the very small handful of weirdoes he met by sheer chance that haven't tried to kill him upon first offense. Yeah, he was shaking in his boots at the thought of a -- respectfully -- clueless human hurting him. He's been hurt less by more.

The change of their positions was rougher than Red would've liked to admit. The pressure against his ribs where he'd received that series of kicks at the end was more than simply uncomfortable. A sharp breath was taken when the pain flared, and slowly exhaled through gritted teeth as he forced himself to relax. It was begrudging, the way he held on to the stranger and rode along in silence. He could barely remember the last time he had to be carried like this. When he was still a kid, just little over twenty years ago when he'd sprained his ankle pretty bad and his mom had to carry him around for the rest of the day.

He didn't like the wave of homesickness that washed over him. With a dismissive scoff he lets himself cave to the pain and the ever increasing exhaustion, letting himself doze off. Just for a moment. Or so he tells himself.

The jostling of the stranger grabbing their keys startles Red back to the land of the living. He grunts and and clenches his jaw, bearing through the worst of it until he's finally set down. "Fuck...!" Comes the miserable groan as his head falls back and he barely registers what the guy is saying. Red has to give him credit for trying at least. It wasn't his fault Red was the living embodiment of what a china shop looked like after having a bull run through it.

The lighting hurts his eyes when he opens them, vision swirling and blurring just briefly. He has to blink to try and clear it and gets startled by the stranger's return. It's purely instinctive when he reaches up to grab the wrist of the hand that dabs at his skin. Instinctive of what he's not real sure. He just knows that's what it is. His following hesitation makes way for an awkward silence on his part and he can't meet the male's -- Ezra, as he now knew -- gaze. Though, while Ezra was sure to feel the full effect of how cold Red was, it wasn't a two way street. He wouldn't feel the warmth that emanated from the human. He was almost completely numb to those things, his sense of touch so off-kilter from living like this for years unless the differences in temperature were more extreme. He had figured that one out after accidentally setting his hand down on a stovetop burner that had been turned up to high.

"Don't call an ambulance..." Red can't stop the scowl that forms as he releases Ezra's wrist, looking off to the side. "They can't help me." Honestly he wasn't sure how much truth was behind that statement. He was sure the vampire influence reached out to the hospital the same way it did the police force. But he couldn't tell just how far it spread to the medical field. It could be disastrous if the wrong EMT or nurse tried to help him. There was no telling how drastic the solution to fix that problem would be. It was bad enough that he may or may not have dragged a total stranger into his problems. He wouldn't damn more people like that.

"And everyone calls me Red."

 

[PrincessGumdrop]

Ezra stopped when he felt the hand on his wrist. He looked to the stranger for a moment, though he didn't push, just waited. Though his eyes would flicker over to the hand on his wrist...this man was an ungodly amount of cold. He was rather worried, he hadn't thought the man lost that much blood, but maybe? Could he be bleeding internally? Maybe he had some kind of medical thing that caused him to be this cold. "I need to-" he started, wanting to explain once again what he was doing but the man spoke up. Don't call an ambulance? Was this man crazy?

He sighed and set his hand down once his wrist was released. He watched and waited, chuckling when he heard the man's name. "No shit?" he asked, glancing at the man's bright Red hair, "People sure aren't that creative, are they?" he said, chuckling again. He shook his head and moved his hand up to Red's face once more. "Look, if you aren't wanting me to call for an ambulance, fine, it's your health...but at least let me get you cleaned up and do some basic first aid," he said and once again attempted to clean the other off. "Also you like...what's the word for it, um...anemic! Yeah, are you like anemic or something, because you seriously are fucking frozen." Ezra dabbed lightly at the blood around any cuts he could find before he turned to open the first aid kit.

He grabbed a few things, an alcohol swab and some tweezer before he moved to dab at the cuts with the swab. "So, Red, want to talk about why you were getting ganged up on?" he asked, "Or do you want to just pretend you aren't a fucking bloody mess?" he tried. "I mean, were they just being assholes or did you piss them off? I figured I should get a good idea of the man I just let into my house, not that you're much of a threat right now. Hindsight is always 20/20 though, isn't it?" He laughed before shaking his head and placing a few bandages on Red. "I still think you should go to the hospital or something, what if you're bleeding internally? I'm not exactly a doctor. Hell, I got kicked out of my bio class...go there go those dreams," he said, laughing once more.

Honestly, he was pretty sure he would have made a horrible doctor of any kind, but biology...minus the professor... had been a fun class. Plus, he had to take it for his major, not that that was going to be completed either. He sighed as he stood up, somewhat satisfied with the care he had managed to get done on Red. "You want something to eat?" he asked, "It's way too fucking early to eat, but hey I'm hungry. I've got like granola bars and um...I think some left over popcorn chicken."

 

[LukeDeadwood]

It took Red just a little bit longer to reply than he would've liked. It wasn't like he spent his free time trying to patch together a story, filling in plot holes and tying loose ends to explain his situation to somebody in a way that made sense. Without revealing his real problem at hand and what he was. He didn't exactly plan on getting close to anybody. Even if he was desperate for that type of socialization and sense of normalcy...keeping himself from making full eye contact was Ezra was really the hardest part.

"Probably." It was such a lame answer. Granted, he guessed that he could technically be considered that, he was also pretty damn certain that he wasn't supposed to be like that. At some point he had stopped keeping track of all the things his body started doing and stopped doing. The starvation wasn't so bad once he got used to it. He also lost track of just how fucked up that entire concept was. "I work behind a freezing bar counter almost every night so I guess I don't really feel it anymore." The added explanation wasn't much better. But it was passable at least. Maybe. He didn't exactly have enough in him to give a full fuck about if it didn't make complete sense, sitting in a virtual silence -- save for the odd quiet hiss from the alcohol swab -- as Ezra all but doted over him and his injuries. 'I need to get out of this place anyway-'

It was the next line of questioning that actually drew forth emotion from Red's mental haze. With a snort a sneer crossed his face, no limit to the disgust anger that oozed out of him. "Yes and yes." Because honestly? That was the whole truth of it. "They don't like the fact I keep them banned from my bar. I know who they are. They're predators and don't give a shit for consent. They can't stand the way I refuse to let them have "fun". So yeah. They're assholes and I pissed them off." It was painfully obvious how passionately hateful he was towards those people. Red could go on and on about how much he hated them until he had no more breath to give. But he ends it there, waiting for Ezra to pull away before he sits up with a wince as his body protests the movement after having settled into it's previous position.

"If I eat now, I'll just hurl..." Red mostly mutters as he takes a glance at himself, cringing inward. He'd get sick if he tried eating any normal food. He knows from personal experience and he hates thinking about it. As unhealthy as he was, he was lucky to be able to blend in with society the way he was now. But he couldn't do more than physical appearances. And he couldn't let Ezra know about that. "Can't really keep anything down after a beating like that." At least, Red thought to himself, he could have some bit of truth to that statement from when he was still human. Even if he was grasping at straws.

There's a large part of him that wants to be silent, and another part that finds that idea horrendously anxiety-inducing. Taking a brief moment Red starts fiddling with his hands, the discomfort of accepting the fact that he wasn't in his own home. "So uh...what were you doing out so late? Pretty lucky timing you had back there." He hasn't had such a casual exchange outside of work for so long that he feels like he's prying despite it being such a simple question and statement. Was he bad at this or was just him? Red couldn't really tell.

 

[PrincessGumdrop]

Ezra tilted his head when he heard the man worked behind a freezing bar. He hadn't really thought that bar counters were all that freezing, but he had never worked behind one, so maybe it was. They did tend to have a lot of ice behind them, right? He didn't really seem to argue with Red though, just let it be especially since it seemed to get him the story behind the assholes that were ganging up on one guy. He chuckled a little bit at the story, "well remind me never to get on your bad side," he said, giving a small smile. "I guess some people are just super dense, no means no and there's nothing more to that." He finished up his patch job and moved into the kitchen.

While he was grabbing some leftover popcorn chicken he nodded along to what Red was saying, "Like me after just one too many drinks, sounds about right. No worries. I can heat something up later if you want," he explained, coming back into the living room with his own little bowl. He popped a few into his mouth and started blowing as soon as it was in his mouth. "Fuck," he mumbled a bit, trying not to spit out the scalding chicken. As he was trying to cool his mouth and chicken at the same time he moved over to the other side of the couch and sat down, before looking over to Red.

"Ah...yeah, I guess it was. As for why I was doing out so late, I kind of got kicked out of my college so, I guess I was just kind of moping. For like five hours." He gave a shrug and popped another tiny chicken into his mouth, repeating the same steps of blowing and cursing. He sighed and settled into his seat. "My parents would kill me if that hadn't already given up on me," he said, with a louder laugh. "What about you? I mean, I guess the bar was closed or something? Not pulling a cool bar owner and living right above the bar? Cuz, I think if you're going to keep banning asshats, I'd move to living above the bar. Then when you close the bar it's not like they can jump you right outside of it." He gave a little shrug and finally grew smart in blowing on the chicken before he popped it into his mouth this time.

 

[LukeDeadwood]

His responses and excuses may have been as half-assed as possible, but Red was still grateful that Ezra seemed to accept them anyway. Or maybe the guy didn’t actually care as much as he let on. Either way it worked in his favor and he wasn’t about to go fuck it up. He was never really one for going the easier route. But in cases like these? Easier was better sometimes. Better for his sanity, anyway.

Red can’t help but glance over when Ezra returns. The chicken smells like some of the best food he’s ever had to smell. Maybe it was just the fact that’s he’s gone so long without any sort of sustenance like that. But at the same time the smell makes his stomach twist a little. He manages an small yet amused smile nonetheless when he gets a front row seat to Ezra popping a piece and immediately scalding the inside of his mouth. Red would be lying if he said he wasn’t envious for the chance to be able to do that. He was also happy that it wasn’t him.

“I do live above my bar.” Red chuckles as his grin widens from the added mirth, though immediately winces when his battered cheek very much disapproves of the action. Looking back down at his hands he shrugs. “They still have ways of getting to me though. Maybe not in the physical sense but it doesn’t keep them from vandalizing the property.” Graffiti, broken windows, handwritten notes with suspicious stains, and on two occasions a broken lock. He’s seen just about all of it. As obnoxious as it was and a waste of his time.

“Sucks to hear about that college thing,” Red looks back at Ezra and has to suck in a breath when he sits up; holy shit do his ribs hurt. “Didn’t exactly get to finish any of my classes either. Personal stuff, ended up having to move. Can’t say I expected to find myself in this fresh slice of hell. Could’ve also been worse…” it was certainly better than what he’d been living with before he came to this city. Red preferred to keep those memories blacklisted from his mind as much as he could, and for as long as he could.

Quickly pulling the conversation to a different course before any personal questions could be asked Red tilts his head. “I guess I prolly owe you a couple’a drinks, huh? On the house I mean.” The offer was probably as lame as all of his excuses. Still, he at least owed the guy something. If anything to make up for the time and effort Ezra wasted bringing him here and patching him up. It was only fair. Right?

 

[PrincessGumdrop]

"Well look at you, cool bar owner," he said, joining in the chuckling. He nodded though when Red mentioned finding other ways of getting to him, "Hmm, I suppose you don't exactly want your bar to look bad. It wouldn't bring in many customers then," he said, thinking it through more out loud. "Stupid though that they're taking it that far, I mean, no offense, but there are plenty of bars and whatnot around here. I would just go to another bar that would allow whatever fun thing I'd want to do. Granted, after seeing how much fun they were having with your pain...I get the feeling anything that they deem fun is probably illegal." He shook his head, "People are assholes, sucks when you get stuck in the middle of it."

He gave a shrug when it came to him being kicked out, "It's not a huge deal. Just kind of...The reason I was kicked out was stupid. Like, fine it was more or less a final straw kind of thing, but still. How is it my fault if the school's teachers have corrupt grading practices? And may or may not have brainwashed other students into believing they were perfectly ligament. And then you know, one of them maybe lashes out at me. I was only defending myself, by punching the dude in the face. Which may or may not have been a little overkill," he said, wincing. "Mostly I was sulking because now I have to find a job and pay for the classes I'm not actually taking." Ezra looked like he was trying to think of where to look first before looking back over, "Sorry, that was a bit of a rant, wasn't it?" he asked, giving a half apologetic smile.

"I mean, it definitely could have been worse but I wouldn't call this place hell. What happened to you, definitely...especially at the end there, man...I couldn't even see what happened you were up and then you were down so fast..." he said, crinkling his brow as he thought about it, though he was quickly distracted by the idea of drinks. "Oh! I mean, you definitely don't owe me shit, but I'm also not going to look down on free drinks. Where is your bar anyway?" he asked.

 

[LukeDeadwood]

It was hook, line and sinker, Red thought to himself. The conversation wasn't bad, but with that brief mention back to the fight had his anxiety spike up a notch before the relief flooded in. Leave it to alcohol to always come clutch in the end. In his experience, people rarely passed up a couple of free drinks. Even the (very)few acquaintances he was on decent-ish terms with were unlikely to turn their noses up at that offer. Well, maybe one of them would decline, but they were a brat as it was. And picky to boot. Damn people that were just barely legal could be so obnoxious.

"Don't worry about it," Is his go-to response to Ezra's apology. A part of it was reflexive but that majority was genuine. Red would never go as far as to call himself a therapist or say that he was capable of fixing everyone's problems(s) with some meager words. But he knew venting tended to help more often than not. Maybe it was really considered to be part of the job. It was quite the variety of drunks that passed through his establishment so maybe he was just used to it. "Everyone needs to rant every now-and-then. A good 'damn it' always helps take a load of the chest. As for my bar..."

Almost sheepishly, Red raises a hand, scratching at the back of his head. He honestly didn't know where he was at right now. "Ezra's place" wasn't exactly a good locational clue for a hermit like him. He might as well have been genuinely dead for a minute or two when Ezra had been carrying him here. "...it's a couple a' blocks from where you found me. Closer towards East Ave, near the corner of 21st and Vista." Maybe it was more than a couple of blocks, maybe it was just right. He lost track after he got dragged around the way he did. After taking chase on his own will, that is. After a moment Red just loosely shrugs. "Can't say that I really know where I'm at so yeah. Those shitty directions are what you get."

 

[PrincessGumdrop]

Ezra nodded along with everything else that Red was saying, taking it in about how everyone needed to rant and then the not so great directions to his bar. He thought about it for a moment before pulling his phone out and putting in the street names, "dude...that's most definitely more than a couple of blocks," he said, showing his phone to Red. "It might be best for you to stay here for the night. I mean, even if you were a couple of blocks from here...I'd still offer. You're definitely in no condition to head back home anyway." He looked the other up and down for a moment before shaking his head. "Let me get you a pillow and some blankets. Unless you want to sleep in the bed with me, you seem chilll enough," he offered, chuckling a bit as he headed towards the hallway that led down to his bedroom, bathroom, and a small hall closet that he had stuffed extra stuff into.

"If you want a change of clothes, I think I have some stuff that might fit you, we look to be about the same size..." he called as he moved around to collect the items he mentioned. "Oh! And feel free to take a shower, extra towels are under the sink." He came back into the living area and set a pillow and blanket down on the couch. "The couch is comfy if anything, I have definitely fallen asleep on it multiple times. It's a little short, but nothing awful. You can head back in the morning or afternoon...you didn't hit your head did you? I think you're supposed to stay up if you have, shit..." he said, his mind going through all the things he knew about basic first aid. It wasn't a lot but it was something. "Because seriously, I don't mind helping a guy out, but really don't want to have that same guy dead on my couch. So um, I don't know, I guess I could like get up and check on you every couple of hours or something," he said, giving a shrug as he stretched and yawned a bit.

It was almost sunrise and he needed the sleep, knowing himself he would probably just sleep in until noon before getting up and just vegging the rest of the day until his sleep cycle decided to actually kick in correctly.

 

[LukeDeadwood]

While sympathy was at the forefront, Red can't help the wave of amusement that hits him as he listens to the vague summary of what sounds more like a series of unfortunate events and bad luck turned against a fighting spirit. It was something he could relate to before he'd been turned. It was true that he'd been a good kid with good grades in high school — and the brief time he'd been in college — but it wasn't uncommon for him to get into the occasional fight that led to detention or out of school suspension. Having been the oldest of four, it was fair to say that he had a pretty big protective streak. One that hasn't quite faded away, given the beating he'd received just earlier.

It was the right time for his body to ache, the purpling bruises and scrapes throbbing as his jaw lit up. Like a twisted little reminder. Red wasn't sure it was a good thing that he was able to suck it up and push it away so easily to offer a small nod and short response to Ezra's apology. "Don't worry about it. I did ask."

A part of him did stick to what the guy had said about needing a job. A worrying little nag in the back of his head. There was no way to tell if that gaggle of fuckers would take an interest in Ezra or not. Any type of job or shift could be a bad one if it took him far enough from his home and that Turk bastard got an idea. Not that some of the alternatives Red had were really exceptional in any way either. Although the best case scenario was leagues better than the worst, he still didn't like the idea of another person having to go to bed knowing how dangerous the night life truly was. He couldn't stand having to drag people down to his level of caution and misery. And god forbid anyone wound up in a situation similar to his because of him.

Red was quick to end that train of thought there and hop on to the one about where his bar was at. While he knew the address and general locale around it — considering it's his bar he ought to damn well know that basic information — he wasn't overly proud to admit he didn't know left from right with the rest of the city. Ten years and he still barely dared to travel far from any of his designated safe zones during the free time he had. Wasn't like he had any friends outside the very small circle of acquaintances he had.

"It's over on Tenth Avenue…" Where Ezra had found him, it was just a few blocks away. Not far enough to really be considered much more than a basic walk, but still enough to know he'd chased after those thugs looking for the fight like the hot-headed dipshit he was. He could only really assume the apartment he was currently in was the complete opposite direction of where he needed to go. "Crimson Kiss, if you've ever heard of it." Red had to resist the frown; he still wasn't overly fond of the name. He hadn't been the one to name it, and it was a little too gaudy and on the nose for his liking.

 

[PrincessGumdrop]

Ezra frowned a little bit when he was given another address. "Yeah, you are definitely staying here until I'm positive you aren't going to die of a concussion. You just told me it was near 21st and Vista, dude...that is the complete opposite direction of 10th. I'll look up the Crimson Kiss...never heard of it, but honestly, you might want to change the name. It sounds like some kind of goth geek hangout. And assholes are gonna asshole, so I would not be surprised if that's why those guys were there," he chuckled and shook his head. "Anyway, you've got two decisions to make. First is are you sleeping with me or not and the second is do you want me to stay awake with you or come check on you every like hour or so?" he asked.

With the information he was getting from Red he really didn't want to leave this man alone until he was sure that he wasn't going to die. Because if he passed out or stopped breathing or something he was going to call an ambulance he didn't care. He was not about to have this man die in his apartment if he could help it. Honestly, he probably should still call for an ambulance, but Red had been rather insistent and he was no stranger to not wanting official people involved. Even if he had tried to keep his nose clean, he had been around people that chose not to. And they were good friends so he was, of course, going to naturally help them out.

"Oh, wait, three decisions, so you want...wait no four, do you want to take a shower and do you want a change of clothes," he asked, looking over to Red. He felt like he needed to keep the man focused on what was going on rather than worrying about where his place was.