call out my name [2gether]

CH 27

A BRAVE NEW WORLD.

Sarawat stared at his own reflection in the mirror, long fingers clutching at the porcelain faucet. The crammed space inside the tiled bathroom was filled with the rushing sound of running water, submerging his mind with a soothing white noise. Sarawat looked like a train wreck, hair all messy and hanging around his face in sweaty chunks. His usually golden tinted skin looked pale and rather milky, wide lips raw and flushed, dark circles under his big eyes.

With a last sigh Sarawat ripped himself away from the faucet, shutting off the water tap and with one swift movement pulled the once white sweatshirt over his head, taking it off. It was wet and marred with dark red splatters and smears from where he had wiped his bloody face and hands on it. Sarawat bunched it up under one arm, feeling a light chill run over his bare skin now that he was just wearing a t-shirt and stalked back out into the dimmed hospital hallway.

Stunned, he blinked around slightly unnerved. Was it evening already? Shit, how long had he been down on his knees in there, choking on his blood? At this he winced thinly, the sandpapery feeling still grating on his insides.

The initial flood of coughs and spasms had stopped soon enough, giving him a fucking final break from the agonizing pain and Sarawat had just slumped limply down on the tiled floor of the toilet stall, breathing harshly. He must have then passed out for a while, his body completely exhausted from the shock of such a violent reaction of having his life force drained.

Natty had reluctantly explained, since she seriously did not want Sarawat to dabble with the cosmic forces, that sharing life essence could kill him. In the worst case scenario, if it spiraled out of control, it could inflict a deadly wound on his body or even attract a fatal sickness. And in best case it would just reduce years of off his life span while elongating the life of the other person. None of these alternatives seemed particularly fun but as long as they did the job of saving Tine, then Sarawat was on board to try it out. Natty had been really spooked when he mentioned that they had accidentally shared life force when Tine had still been a wandering soul. It was one thing for spirits to linger around and leech off of people but it could be very dangerous if it was done raw and with intent. It could disrupt the whole balance in the universe. And did that not sound far too familiar already?

But whatever, it was done now. Sarawat had to see Tine. He was about to open the door to Tine's hospital room but was harshly pulled aside before he could even reach for the sleek door handle.

"What did you do?!" Type hissed into his face, pushing Sarawat against a wall by the collar of his stretchy t-shirt. Sarawat winced at the painful collision of his back against the hard wall, his body still weak and knees barely holding up. A fluttering breath left his parted lips. "You were the only one in the room with Tine. Again," Type ranted accusingly, stabbing a blunt finger into his heaving chest.

One would think that Type should be a little more grateful, Sarawat thought sarcastically as he tried to keep himself together, squeezing his eyes shut for a tiny moment.

Except then Type blinked, taking a step back. He inclined his head while looking the other man up and down, almond shaped eyes trailing over his messed up appearance.

"You look like hell, what happened to you?"

"It's a long story," Sarawat replied, leaning back against the wall for support now, chin jutting out as he tilted his head back, his bangs slipping over and partially covering one side of his face.

"Well, indulge me," Type said while crossing his arms over his chest resolutely.

A worried furrow was making its way over his face. Sarawat really did not look okay, after their little talk Type would take him down to the floor of the general clinic for a check up. Tine would probably kill him if something happened to his estranged boyfriend while he had been tapped out.