My Gift To You | Herophine Fic

I'm Not Sleeping with You

JOSEPHINE

I will admit, the Phish Food Hero surprised me with did brighten the shittiest day of my lift, even if it was only a little bit. I didn't eat the whole tub as I originally planned, I left half of it and put it back in the freezer, not wanting it to turn to liquid. For the rest of the evening, as I promised myself, I watched old reruns of Eurovision and streamed them to the TV. I was right, it never fails to lift my spirits - again even if it was only slightly.

I only heard from Hero the following morning, he must have gone to the pub with Felix and his other friends. I don't blame him, he more than deserved to let loose, considering he'd helped me nearly the whole week leading up to my diagnosis. The way I heard from him made me laugh, I received a text earlier than I know Hero would have wanted to wake up on a Saturday after a night out.

H: Morning. Meet me at McDonald's for breakfast in half an hour? I've got the hangover from hell.

When I rolled over in bed after seeing the text, I couldn't help but smile, one because of a McDonald's breakfast which I've not had in ages, but two because Hero still, after all these years designates me as his hangover buddy, even if I'm not hungover myself. I remember the first time he had a hangover, he was in such a panic after waking up because he felt sick and unsure about what happened the night before. I was the one to fill him in on his drunk shenanigans, including him stealing a traffic cone which ended up in someone's front garden.

J: Sure. Which McDonald's do you want to go to?

There are so many in London, he'll need to be more specific. He texts me back within a few minutes and tells me, Marble Arch. It's somewhere between where the both of us live and easily accessible by the Tube for us. I dress quickly in some leggings and a pastel pink hoodie. Before I leave, I get a notification on my phone to take my first bit of medication for the day since my diagnosis yesterday. That reminds me I need to thank Hero for getting these for me.

I slip on my trainers when I get to the front door and head on out, taking my Oyster Card with me for my journey on the Tube. As it's early on a Saturday morning, it won't be busy.

When I get to McDonald's I see Hero straight away. He looks like he's been dragged through a hedge backwards. I walk over to him and smile, he smiles back briefly, but even I can tell when I'm approaching him that he feels like shit. For Hero to be as bad as he is right now, I dread to think how much he drank last night and what he drank.
"Please don't ask me how I feel. I feel like how I look,"
"Shit?" I ask, opening the door for both of us. Hero nods, exhaling and puffing his cheeks out in despair.

As a thank you for the last week and getting my medication, I tell him this is on me and collect the breakfasts when they're ready. He's already got us a booth in the corner. I notice it's darker where he's sat, probably so he can hide from the sun. I walk over with the food and he sits up quickly, noticing his food is on its way. When I place it down, Hero snatches the coffee and set of pancakes I got for him. This is what he reserves for when he's hungover only.
"So... Good night?"
"Eventful, Felix and Elif causing shit again... Probably why I drank so much, to drown it out. I think Morgan is feeling the same, to be honest," I nod along with his story. It sounds like they really made their way around London last night. Starting at the pub then they headed to numerous bars before stumbling home.
"Sounds like you had a good night,"
"Yeah. Did you find your surprise?" I smile, recalling reading his note to me and getting the Ben and Jerry's out of the freezer. I admit to him that it was great, but that I didn't finish it which shocks him as I usually finish a tub in one night.
"Well, regardless of whether you finished it or not, I think you deserved it after your shitter of a week. Are you okay, after it all?" I sigh, contemplating my answer.
"I suppose I'll have to be. I'm going to read the leaflets that I was given yesterday over the weekend. Maybe ask me after?" Hero nods, understanding. That's my mission this weekend, to learn more about my condition and hopefully start thinking about my fertility future and what I'm going to do about it. I've always envisioned myself with a family, but with time now against me, I have to make a decision about whether I strike now, or whether I risk it, wait and hope for the best.