Fin

[just_hex]

It had been a rather slow night in A&E and Hex had had plenty of time to chat with the other nurses. He'd been put off with the peds just because he was so good with the kiddies, but when warning bells went off in trauma Hex ran to where he was needed. The bloke was young and terribly thin and Hex got the distinct impression from the state of his hair and nails he was probably not well.

"I'm Hex," he said as two other nurses fussed over the young man, installing an IV and affixing EKG pads. "I just need to get a bit of history."

They went through the details and Hex took it all down, but what he was watching for with all this was to see how lucid Mr. Finlay Flynn was. The other nurses left before he got through the complete questionnaire.

"Almost done, Mr. Flynn," he said, then paused to look at the EKG printout. It wasn't good and the gravity of the situation settled heavy on his brow.

Comments

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Yeah, sure. So what's the doctor want to do with me then?" he asked, sighing a little.

He'd never been to a diner before, there were a few around all claiming to sell authentic american food. Though Fin supposed as long as they served fish and chips, he'd be alright.

[just_hex]

"Just tests, you'll be fine." He smiled at Fin and ducked out of the room. A bit later the doctor walked in to check Fin out. He listened to his heart and lungs, looked at his history, and ordered a couple tests. Hex was right, too- by the time Fin was ready to walk out- with a heart monitor he was to wear for twenty four hours and bring back, Hex was getting off shift. He made his way back to Fin's room as another nurse was getting him fixed up.

"That's alright, Shirl, I can get him," he said. "He's just going across the road, anyway."

Hex smiled at Fin as Shirl fussed a bit more then handed the slender man his discharge papers.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"This is absolute bollocks," Fin complained, picking at the wires. "I knew I should have just left. I should never have let you convince me to stay and see the doctor. Now I've got to wear this nonsense all day."

[just_hex]

"It's just for a day. You'll forget they're even there," Hex assured him. Once Fin had his papers Hex ushered him out- out past nurses and beds, out past the sick and injured- out into the street. The ambulance bay stood empty but up and across the street was the most odd little restaurant. It was a diner and looked as if someone had parked a train carriage on the block and built up around it. It was a facade, of course.

"This place is great. The best thing about it is it's fast. Sometimes on shift you've only got ten minutes or so and they get something hot to you in just moments," Hex explained.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"I am starving," Fin admitted, still a little sulky, but following after Hex.

"You take all your patients for meals then?" he asked as they headed inside.

[just_hex]

"Just the well fit ones," Hes replied, teasing just a little- a flirting a little too.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin snorted that and rolled his eyes.

"Right," he replied, falling silent as a host lead them to a table and taking a seat. "So, you been a nurse long then? No offence, mate, but you don't look much like a nurse."

[just_hex]

"Two years. I was a combat medic before that," he replied, taking the menu but looking at the chalk board over the cash register. "I like it. It's all I've ever wanted to do- even when I was a boy. Never wanted to be a doctor."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Military then. That makes a bit more sense I suppose. You look military," Fin noted as he looked Hex over with a casual flick of his eyes.

[just_hex]

"I do, do I? How many blokes have you know who've served, then?" he asked with a bright smile.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Er- Well, none, really. My dad, I suppose," he shrugged- though he didn't feel as if he really knew his father at all these days. The man was a virtual stranger. Just a lie he'd grown up with.

"Why nursing though? What made you so keen on it?"

[just_hex]

"Well, you see...me nan told me from the time I was a boy that when I picked a career I should do something people will always be in need of. And I think she had it in mind for me to be a cobbler, because people always need shoes, yeah? But they're all made in China now these days, anyway. But I did a report when I was about nine. A report on Florence Nightingale. I think that was the first time I knew I wanted to be a nurse."

And it was just best that he keep mum on the fact that he'd met the woman and she'd been every bit as brilliant as he'd imagined her to be.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin laughed a little, because it was all so innocent sounding. Somehow, he just believed it.

"I never knew I wanted to act until I was doing it. Always figured I'd end up check out clerk like my mum," he admitted with a shrug. "Sometimes I wonder if I still should. You know, if I could get one to hire me. My condition's a bit off-putting for 'em all."

[just_hex]

"Just how much are you able to do?" he asked, but before Fin could answer, the waitress came over.

"Hex, love, are you on break? I can give you tomato soup and a bacon sarnie quick as you like," she offered. But he smiled and shook his head.

"No, I'm off. Me and me mate Finlay, here, we're looking to have a calm meal, not all in a rush."

"Oh, in that case the specials are on the board," she said. "Tea first?"

Hex nodded and then looked to Fin, unsure if he wanted tea or coffee or something else.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Oh, um, tea would be brilliant, thanks," he told her, nodding a little and offering a small smile.

He could tell Hex came here a lot, and as he glanced at the menu, he wondered what the other man would suggest.

[just_hex]

"This is my treat, yeah? I know you're flush enough, but I want you to get a really good meal into you. Order anything you like. Enough for a go box if you like," he said. He could easily afford to get food into Fin and though the man had a place to live and money for food, he had a feeling he probably didn't eat well all that often.

"The chips and gravy are good. Not entirely American- I stayed at an American base and they call them fries and drown them in ketchup," he chuckled. "But the burgers are good. And so is the pie."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin hesitated and frowned just a bit.

"I don't need charity you know. I can buy food. ...And I eat, yeah? Just my meds make me ill a lot. Can't always keep it down. Some days I don't have an apatite at all," the thin man said, sinking down in his seat and looking just a bit humiliated.

He suddenly didn't want to be here.

[just_hex]

"It's not charity." Hex paused briefly and considered what he was going to say next for just a heartbeat. "It's a date."

But once he said it he thought that perhaps Fin didn't want it to be a date and he found himself blushing.

"...Erm, if, ah, if that's alright with you."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"It bloody well isn't, mate," Fin said, eyes going wide. "I'm not gay. I dunno wot you are, and I don't care- You be whatever you want to be. But I'm not, alright? I'm not like you."

He felt sick and shaky, refusing to look at Hex as he considered getting up and leaving.

He couldn't think about being on a date with Hex or any man. He wasn't his father, he refused to be like him. It was easier to repress any attraction he might have to the other man than admit he might have more in common with his father than he'd ever known.

[just_hex]

"Oh my god...I'm sorry. I thought you were," he said, blushing so badly it stained his neck and cheeks up to his eyes. He didn't quite know what to say...he'd never made such a mistake.

"I thought...the way you smiled and...and, god, I'm sorry, mate. My mistake. Really. If you want to get something to go...or you can order and I'll fuck off..."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin didn't want to go though- He found he liked Hex and wanted to be near him.

"No, it's fine- I'm just... I'm not. Alright?" he said awkwardly.

[just_hex]

"Alright," he agreed. Embarrassment boiled in him, hot and liquid filling his chest and twisting his gut. He didn't need to look but he distracted himself by picking up his menu to look at it.

For the longest moment he wasn't sure he could speak, but then he did find something worth saying.

"I've really made this awkward. I'm sorry. I do think you;re lovely, though. Maybe we'll be mates after all. What else do you do? Other than acting? Maybe we've got something in common?"

[prince_of_nymphs]

"You into music? I go to a lot of gigs. I saw Crystal Castles the other week, and my mate's got tickets to see Dragonforce next month, so that'll be brilliant," Fin said, offering a very small smile.

[just_hex]

"I like music a lot, but I've never been to a concert. Not a proper one. I've seen musicians in bars and the like, and once when I was in Afghanistan they had a show with the newest incarnation of the Pussycat Dolls. Something of that was lost on me, though," he chuckled.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"You should go see a proper show sometime. There's nothing like it. Makes me feel alive to be in the front row with the sound vibrating through me," Fin admitted, deciding he'd just have chips and vinegar as he closed the menu.