One Night Stand

After

Uploaded: 12/5/2019

Re-uploaded: 2/28/2021

Techno held onto Type's limp hand, the sound of the oxygen moving through the tubes the only noise in the hospital room other than Type's even breathing. His gaze roved over the unconscious guy, taking in the bandage wrapped around Type's head, the gauze taped to his neck and covering the vicious bite, his arms almost completely swaddled in gauze after a few deep gashes had been stitched. The broken wrist had been set before being stitched, and the cast was over a fraction of the bandages. His legs looked similar, along with his torso, but those were covered up by the hospital gown and the covers.

Type's eyes fluttered, catching Techno's attention.

"Was goin on..." Type slurred, struggling to focus on Techno.

Techno swallowed hard. He had no idea how Type was going to react. "You're in the hospital, Type. P'Nine beat you up."

"Mm..." Type moaned, eyes sliding shut. "Yeah...I remember...shia..."

"Why did he do that to you??" Techno asked.

Type forced his eyes open. "Because...his dad's in jail."

"So?? What's that got to do with you??"

"I put him there."

Techno blinked. Then frowned. "That...yeah, you're gonna have to explain I to me. How could you have pout his dad in jail?"

"Well, that's where people go when they get convicted of child molestation," Type said, eyes never leaving Techno's face.

Techno froze. I couldn't have heard that right... "You mean to tell me...he..." he couldn't bring himself to say it. "To you??"

Type nodded. "Now you know."

"When?"

"I was eleven."

"How could P'Nine blame you for that??" Techno hissed quietly. "His dad was the one to blame! Targeting an innocent child! Sick pedophile!"

Type didn't react. "P'Nine...said he was going to teach me...what people did to child molesters in jail...I hurt like hell..."

"You have to press charges."

"I can't."

Techno gritted his teeth in frustration. "Why not? He needs to be brought to justice!"

"If I press charges, then everything will come out," Type explained slowly, trying to make Techno understand. "Everyone will look at me like I'm still a victim, when I'm not. I'm a survivor. And survivors don't want or need pity."

"I don't pity you," Techno said quietly.

Type looked at him. "No?"

"No. I admire you for how strong you've been all these years."

The honesty in his friend's voice made Type's face get hot, and turned his face away, though not without a small wince due to his bandaged neck.

"To refuse to let it get to you, and keep living a normal life," Techno gently rubbed the back of Type's hand with the pad of his thumb. "That's amazing Type." Then he shook his head. "And totally explains your hatred of gays back in the day. I don't blame you, now. But I hope you know that not all people who do that to kids are gay. They're sick pedophiles that prey on any child, boy and girl alike."

Type nodded, still not facing Techno. "I know that...now. It took me a while to learn that for myself."

Techno smiled to himself. Type really had come a long way since freshman year.