Fan Fiction ❯ Standing Outside the Fire ❯ A Turn for the Worse ( Chapter 1 )

Andrew turned the small figure over and over in his hand, the whittling knife held carefully in the other. He had started with a block of wood about the size of his hand and as he wadded through all that was in his mind, his fingers as transformed that geometric shape into one for more organic. Thought he figure was far from done, it had defiantly taken on the shape of a horse, and that bothered him, because he knew exactly whom he was whittling it for. A certain 6'6 brunette man with legs a mile long. The same certain man he had been having very erotic dreams about for three months now. Erotic enough that if he didn't wake up with damp boxers he found himself in the bathroom jerking off at three in the morning. He turned the horse over in his hand again, frustrated with himself. Lyn wasn't his `type' if such a thing existed. Andrew like intellectual, educated, emotionally and mentally secure, happy... safe... men. Lyn wasn't safe, not by a long shot. HE was like some crazy natural disaster that would destroy everything around it in the end, but in the meanwhile it was one hell of a ride. Lyn did damn near everything Andrew disapproved of, drank like a fish, smoked like a chimney, slept around like he was getting paid... hell he probably was getting paid. He liked expensive brand name clothes, put holes where god never meant a person to have them... The list went on and on. There was very little Andrew knew about Lyn that he would approve of in any other man. So why had he done nothing that think of him the last two hours? Why was he carving a little trinket for him, that Lyn would probably set on a shelf and forget about?

"Because there is something more damnit!" Andrew jumped as he snapped at himself, his voice echoing back at him in the sparsely furnished apartment. He felt himself blush and shook his head. "You're loosing it Drew." HE shook his head to himself, this was asinine, he was talking to himself and lusting after someone that was not only unattainable, emotionally unavailable, and uninterested in long term Lyn probably didn't even really know he existed. Sitting back Andrew's hands returned to shaping the wood into the horse that lived within. There was something more in Lyn... there had to be, he felt it. It was like a chuck of wood... at first all there was was this block of rough cut wood. It maybe a really nice wood, cherry or something, and it might make a great paperweight. It was pretty but, it wasn't great, it wasn't useful, and it could even be dangerous, the rough wood giving you splinters. That was all most people saw. But eventually some would come along and see what was inside the wood, and sit down with a knife, or some other tools and turn it into something... maybe a box... maybe a horse. Lyn was like that. Pretty, but mostly useless, and even a little dangerous. Andrew felt like he saw the shape with in though... and if only he could work away the protective layers the chips of wood that were hiding the beauty with in...

They had been meeting at the gym three days a week, every week for three months now. Andrew had seen the various mood swings his partner went through and had started to figure out what they meant, the whole time berating himself for spending this much time thinking of a man, it wasn't healthy. It was like he was some love struck teenager... he was positive he would find himself writing Lyn's name surrounded by hearts any day now... Lyn was always exactly 8 minutes late. Why Andrew wasn't sure but it was always exactly eight minutes... checking his watch he saw it was now going on nearly twenty... Andrew couldn't decide what to do, if he should just give up and go home, if he should go start working and see if Lyn showed up eventually... if he should try and call him... About the time Andrew was ready to make a decisive action, Lyn rounded the corner...

"You look like hell." It was out of Andrew's mouth before he could put a damper on his tongue, but it was true, Lyn's eyes had such dark circles under them it looked as though he had been punched out, his skin was nearly translucent with pallor. Andrew could see that his whole body trembled.

"Gee thanks, I love you too... wanna run today?"

"Run?" They had done it a few times before, jogging in the park instead of staying inside, but Lyn looked like he could barely walk. "Ah... I think you should go back home and go to bed for a while, eat some soup or something..."

"I'm fine." Lyn snipped. "Are you coming or what?" Lyn tossed over his shoulder as he ducked into the locker room. Shaking his head Andrew followed, knowing that if he didn't go, Lyn would just go alone, and if Lyn passed out, Andrew at least wanted to be sure he was safe. Changing into his sweats and lacing up his running shoes Andrew waited for Lyn to reappear. Lyn never changed anywhere near him, and Andrew wasn't entirely sure why, but he shrugged it off. Lyn really did look terrible, as though his clothes were suddenly two sizes too big.

"Are you sure Lyn..."

"Yes." Lyn spun on a heel and headed out of the locker room, not waiting for An to catch up until he was outside.

Andrew tried his best to keep the pace slow, but every time he dropped down to an easy jog, Lyn would pass him and call back telling him to hurry up. The man was pushing himself, had in fact set a pace hard enough to challenge Andrew. Lyn was dripping sweat, his steps starting to falter. "Lyn lets take a break okay?" He's going to pass out, he's going to pass out... it kept running through Andrew's head... it was inevitable... Lyn stumbled again; the blonde caught him, steadying him, looking into his blue eyes. ""Come on, let's sit down." finally Lyn nodded, his eyes unfocused. Andrew led him to a bench sitting next to him. "Slow deep breaths Lyn, come on, slow deep breaths." He coached, but Lyn just kept panting, a hand coming up and rubbing his chest.

"Cant... Catch... breath..." He managed between desperate pants.

"Yes you can, just don't panic, your hyperventilating. Try and slow your breaths, it will feel like your not getting enough air for a moment, but then you'll be fine." But Lyn just kept gasping for air, then finally, he slumped forward. Andrew eased him carefully to the ground. "Lyn? Christ!" Andrew felt for Lyn's wrist alarmed at how skeletal it felt... he was hot to the touch, his heart racing, a few other passers by had stopped. "Some one call 911!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Mr. Darling?"

Andrew winced, he hated hearing his last name announced in public, it always made him want to look around for Lady and The Tramp. Standing he approached the harried looking doctor. "Uh, yes?"

"Come with me please." The doctor lead him down the hall to s small private room, after sitting and offering Andrew a seat the doctor got down to business. "Listen I hate to be so blunt, but are you Mr. Doren's lover?"
"Uh.." Andrew blinked. "No." The doctor's eyebrows shot up.

"You'll pardon me, but your obviously not related... he has legal documentation appointing you power of attorney... which basically makes you his next of kin as far as decision making goes... so you can understand my confusion."

"Power of Attorney?" His jaw almost hit the table. He had only known Lyn three months. "Surely there must be relatives...?"

"All in Ireland, no phone number listed, only and address.... And its a rural rout with no actually box number..."

"Ireland?" This was all a little bit much. "Listen this is the first I've heard about it." The doctor did not look pleased.

"All right then, I have a few questions for you then you can go see him if you like. When is the last time he ate.?"

"I don't know."
"When's the last time he had anal intercourse."

Andrew blushed deeply. "I ah... don't know."

"I suppose you cant tell me who the partner was then either."
"No, I'm sorry, really I barely know him." Andrew wasn't really sure how this situation could get any more embarrassing.

"Well your vague acquaintance is grossly underweight, we suspect an eating disorder, there are some fairly obvious signs of abuse on his torso... and he has a very sever infection."

"Infection?" He tried not to stare blankly.

"Yes, and infection from tearing internally of the anal lining. Usually caused by a rough insensitive lover... or using in appropriate objects to stimulate ones self. I'm guessing its the former in the case of your friend, he doesn't look the type to ever lack for bed mates."

Andrew glared. He wasn't sure why, the doctor's statement had been perfectly accurate. Lyn never did lack for bedmates, but it pissed him off that the doctor was making the same assumption that he had made about Lyn only a few months earlier. "So what does this mean as far as his medical treatment?"

"I would like to hospitalize him for the eating disorder, his weight is bordering on dangerously low, but that means committing him to the psyche ward... and I hesitate to do involuntary commitment. The infection has been treated with a heavy dose of antibiotics via IV, we caught it early and he will be fine, but we want to keep him for two days to be sure, then he will be discharged."

"So what your telling me is that he is anorexic or bulimic or something and that what ever it is is on the verge of killing him but you plan to discharge him in two days with no follow up."

"If I commit him to the psyche ward for an eating disorder he can only be discharged when the state deems him competent. I don't know if you have ever read One Flew Over the Coocoo'sNest< /u>, but I assure you involuntary commitment is not what you want."