For as long as George can remember, he's always felt like an outcast. He'd learned to be cautious when letting new people into his life, never allowing anyone to get too close. As time passed he gradually got used to relying solely on himself, but he still desperately wished he could just put himself out there a little more. At the age of twenty-one he's finally ready to take some risks and meet new people, or at least, that's what he's trying to tell himself. As George battles with his self worth and feelings of discouragement, he has a chance encounter with an American stranger in the middle of the night. Could an unlikely friendship between the two change the trajectory of George's life? He certainly hopes so. {t/w}~ alcoholism, abuse, talk of mental health, slight/implied homophobia, panic attacks *there will be a disclaimer in the specific chapters that warnings appear in, some are more mild than others* please stay safe and know that you are loved! this story is purely for practice purposes and is not intended to make anyone uncomfortable, and if it does, i'll take it down right away! now with that out of the way, let's get into the story <3

{Rewritten} Lance McClain always felt like he was cursed from birth. Being diagnosed with Sickle Cell Anemia was hard enough; but due to a serious medical error, Lance received an infected blood transfusion. Now his already short life span has been shortened, wearing down on his mind. After stumbling in the hallway of the hospital, Lance meets Keith Kogane- who instantly takes interest in him. **Rated Mature for: graphic sexual content, mature language, potentially triggering depictions of mental disorders**