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12. Accidents And Anime

please point out mistakes lol i didnt beta read this

Dave loses all concept of time. The only time he's not asleep he's just lay on the floor feeling empty and wrong. Has it been minutes? Hours? Days? He doesn't know. He's only moved to drink, use the toilet and take more sleeping pills so he doesn't have to address his thoughts and feelings. On his dead phone are over 100 worried texts, and 40 missed calls. On his locked door are loud panicked knocks.Dave's completely unaware, sleeping through sadly, negative test clasped in his hand like a child with their favourite toy.

"Dave? Dave?" Joel enters their flat in a panic, Felix close behind him with Marzia bringing up the rear. Dave opens his eyes briefly, before settling down again.

'You're hearing things. It's too early for Joel to be home.' He thinks.

Joel, Marzia and Felix are rushing around the flat, trying to find the disappeared boyfriend. Joel's heart drops as he approaches the bathroom door. He thinks back to other times he's found the long haired boy on the bathroom floor - having a panic attack, throwing up while drunk, and bleeding out. He shakes away these thoughts and pushes open the door.

Dave's lay there, days old bowls and cups, a large bottle or water and his dead phone spread around him. He's under Joel's blankets and duvet, looking very small, unwell and sad. His hair is matted and greasy, and he needs to shower.

Tears spring into Joel's eyes. Dave looks like he did when he was in the middle of a depressive episode.

"Dave-" Joel chokes out, and goes to move closer to his broken boyfriend. He's blocked by Marzia. She stares at him coldly, then slaps him hard across the face. He stumbles back, holding his cheek where a red mark is already appearing.

"Ow! What the fuck Marzia?" Felix watches fearfully for Joel, as he sees Marzia about to explode into a storm of rage.

"What the fuck? WHAT THE FUCK. I'LL TELL YOU THE FUCK. You KNEW Dave was in a delicate place right now. But still you LEFT. You didn't leave a way for anyone to help him while you were gone, you know how antisocial he becomes. NOW LOOK at your bella fidanzato - I mean beautiful boyfriend - broken on the floor. Look at him!" She erupts angrily, slowing down towards the end, clearly having to think about her English so as to not scream in Italian. Joel understands, knowing how often he's yelled in Swedish before realising no one can understand. He hangs his head.

"I know Marzia. I'm terrible, and I'll learn from my mistakes. But I need to make sure he's okay now I'm here." She huffs.

"This isn't over. We will be talking later."

"Please don't kill my boyfriend Marzy." Dave says hoarsely. They both look over. Felix is sat with Dave, giving him a hug.

"Oh- oh petal, you're awake. Oh sweetheart." Joel falls beside him, and scrambles across the floor to hug his boyfriend. "Why were you on the floor baby?"

"Was sick, remember?" Dave says, avoiding all eye contact and pushing his arm further beneath the blanket. Joel notices and panics.

"Babe, why are you hiding your arm?" He asks shakily.

"No reason!" Dave's voice raises an octave higher than usual.

"Dave, show me your arm." He says, breath coming in irregular bursts.

"No, Joel. I've not-"

"Show me your arms!" Joel's becoming hysterical, so Dave drops the test beneath the blanket and gives his arms to his panicked boyfriend. Upon seeing no new cuts Joel calms slightly, taking Dave's left arm and begins kissing all of the pale scars that litter his smooth skin.