telescopes and kaleidoscopes

“What happens when it doesn’t?” Connor asked curiously, “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to though. Sorry, my sister’s a nurse, and I’ve spent a lot of time in hospitals myself. I get curious about medical stuff.”

"Then I have to call my doctor,” Jared said, still holding his nose. “No, it’s fine. I don’t mind talking about it to people who won’t freak out about it.”

Aaron smiled softy and handed him a can before opening his own. “Ah man I just needed to clear my head, you know? This place just..gets to you.” He shrugged and took a long sip of his beer, closing his eyes for a moment as he let it hit. “Just the usual bullshit. What about you? You seem like you’re trying to get away too. Everything alright?”

Jared popped open the can and took a sip before responding. “Yeah, I know. You gonna be alright? Need to talk about it?” he offered, leaning back slightly. “Yeah, just had a shit day.” he said with a shrug. He had yet another doctors appointment that was a bust, and he was slowly getting driven insane by the constant poking and prodding with no one actually figuring out what was wrong with him.  

“Oh I have. I had shameless checked her out, I won’t lie. She is a real woman.” She laughed softly as she thought of her few interactions with Kelsey. “How bad? I mean is it something you should get checked out?” She was the last person that should be telling someone to go to the doctor but she couldn’t help it. “You’re not gonna pass out on me are you? Not only can I not lift you, I don’t want to be held liable,” she laughed softly. 

“I don’t blame you. I do it to. But touch her and I’ll kill you,” he stated, then laughing lightly. “Yeah, I’ve gone to several doctors. All they’ve been able to figure out is that I’m anemic,” Jared explained. “Don’t worry, you won’t have to lift me. You might have to do a trust fall sort of thing, however.”

Aaron sighed as he sat down next to someone and set down his six pack. He was tired of this shit. Tired of fighting with friends, of feeling like shit. He was going to drink this six pack and tomorrow would be a new day and he was getting rid of that drama. He turned to the person next to him on the bench and held up the can. “You want one?”

Jared looked over as someone sat down next to him. There were very few people he had the energy to deal with at the moment, so he was glad that it was Aaron who sat next to him. “Yes, please,” Jared said gratefully. “What are you doing out here?”

“I will. I’ll tell them that he started bleeding because he couldn’t handle my hotness and then he saw his girlfriend and was like damn, even more bleeding.” She laughed and grabbed a few more. “By how calm you are I’m taking that this has been happening since you were a kid?” She at back in her chair and grabbed her water bottle. 

“Hey, you’ve seen my girlfriend, no one can handle her hotness. I’m surprised I haven’t died of blood loss,” he joked, still holding the tissues to his nose with one hand, and the bridge of his nose with the other. It was an odd position to be making jokes in, but what else could Jared do in the situation? “Yeah. Well, not really... kinda. It’s gotten a lot worse in the last few months.”

Preity resisted the urge to walk over and help him, he clearly knew what he was doing. “That’s good to know,” she said slowly, nodding her head a little. “Do you usually have a lot of nose bleeds?”

     “Yeah... kind of. They’ve become more frequent recently,” he explained, "I’m used to it. It just kind of... you know, freaks people out.”

“It’s cause i’m so hot. People just see me and they just…boom start bleeding or pass out.” Esme smirked as she grabbed a few more tissues and handed it to him. “You sure there’s nothing else I can get you?”

“Oh, yeah, I’m sure that’s it. Just tell my doctors that,” he half-joked. “No,” he said, grabbing the extra tissues she had handed over. “Just.... keep these coming. Thank you”

“You don’t need to apologize. I can’t exactly judge,” Raphael gestured to his busted up nose, which still didn’t look too pretty. “But are you- are you okay? Do you want me to get more napkins?”

“At least I’m not alone in the nose problems,” he said half jokingly. “I should be okay for now. It usually stops pretty quickly.”

Connor gave the other a concerned look, “You sure?” he questioned, knowing that sometimes nosebleeds were nothing, but they also could be more serious and years spent in a hospital made Connor a lot more aware of things like that.

    “Well--I mean--Yeah, it usually stops pretty quickly,” Jared said, taking another napkin. “It’s more of a concern when it doesn’t.”

Gaby blinked a bit as the other apologized, but she just shrugged and dug into her purse without a word, pulling out a little package of tissues. “Here, use these.”

    Jared took the packet of tissues from her, and quickly opened them, which was slightly difficult with only one hand. “Thanks,” he said, with an appreciative smile.

“Are you sure that you’re okay?” Preity asked, raising an eyebrow as she watched him. “Tip your head back.”

     “Yeah,” he mumbled, getting another napkin, leaning forward slightly. “That’s actually a common misconception,” he explained, still holding the napkin to his nose, talking as if the bleeding wasn’t there. “It actually does nothing to stop the bleed, and you’re more likely to get blood drip down your throat, which can cause irritation.”

     Jared sighed heavily as he looked down at the shot. He knew drinking would probably be a bad idea, his doctors were recommending against it. But he didn’t really care right now. He had a long week, he could afford a few shots, right? “Eh, what the hell?” he said, taking the shot, and downing it quickly, wincing as the liquid went down his throat. “Alright, now what?”

Wilser was surprised that the other stomach it so easily, but quickly followed up, sucking on lemon still because of the sting. He chuckles at the other’s enthusiasm and wraps an arm around his shoulders. “You tell me. Another one? Wanna go dance? Have fun somewhere dark? Just watch the people make a fool of themselves?”

     Jared was walking aimlessly through the dance. He was looking for Kelsey. He didn’t think he would be able to come, because he hadn’t been feeling well that morning, but he was doing better by the afternoon, so he decided to go. He could always leave if he ended up not feeling well later in the night. In his search, however, he wasn’t exactly paying attention to his surroundings, so he ended up bumping into someone. “Oh, god, no it’s totally my fault,” he said, as he recoiled back. “Are you alright?”

“C’mon! Just one tequila shot with me!” Wilser begged with a big smile and puppy eyes. “Don’t be a bore. Just for the hell of it, please!!??”

     Jared sighed heavily as he looked down at the shot. He knew drinking would probably be a bad idea, his doctors were recommending against it. But he didn’t really care right now. He had a long week, he could afford a few shots, right? “Eh, what the hell?” he said, taking the shot, and downing it quickly, wincing as the liquid went down his throat. “Alright, now what?”