tramitem_comm | (no subject)

G'off my feet.

[it took a while for Anthony's words to even register.
Then they did and he sat bolt upright, wincing at the sudden pain everywhere.]

Bloody. What time is it even-- [he checked his mobile and the seventeen missed calls]

Oh for fuck's sake! Aahhhhhhggghh. [he scrubbed a hand through his hair and then got up from the sofa to call the school. One very nasty conversation with the principal later where she rightfully upbraided him up one side and down the other for putting undue strain on their already understaffed school, he sat at the table and rested his head on it amidst all the ungraded papers, quietly wishing for death.

It might happen too the way his heart was jamming at his ribs, sending wincing pain all through him and dark spots in front of his eyes, but if he laid here long enough maybe it would go away.]

[ It was quite the floor show watching while Alec paced around. And that conversation, yikes! If it had been half as heated on the other side as it was on this one he didn't think a Principal really ought to be using language like that.

He meanwhile took care of his problems through text. A quick note to Janet apologizing for not calling in and asking her to cover. He was her boss so what was she going to say about it? No sir, be more responsible? And a second to Grace saying he wasn't dead but that he had stayed up too later drinking with dear cousin Alec, more to be explained later, though he planned to keep the memories out of it.

By the Anthony looked up Alec had collapsed on the table. ]

You end up drinking too much too?

[ This was the initial thought as he stood and teetered over to the table himself. Alec looked so pale and out of breath that his own heart sank... This was so much like before. ]

You are still sick! How bad? Do you have any pills or anything...?

I'm fine. Don't be a ninny. [the fact that he wheezed it probably didn't help]

Medicine cabinet. Top shelf.

[ The ninny was the one relying on pills and stubbornness! This thought could wait until after he had run to the indicated cabinet and returned with those pills. Those and a glass of water were placed in front of him on the table.

There would be questions but only after it looked like Alec wasn't going to keel over. ]

Here, got it? I could loosen the cap?

Shut up and give them here. [he got his own damn cap off thank you and downed his pills before settling back and waiting for his breathing to come back to normal]

Don't you have somewhere to be?

No. I missed work and like Hell I'm going anywhere when you are sick.

[ If he hadn't had missed work already he would have called off for this! Why would Alec suggest he do anything less? ]

What happened? Couldn't they do the surgery right away? Were there complications? What is the name of the heart specialist you are seeing?

I'm not sick. It's just ... nothing. It's nothing.

[Christ he wanted to lay down on something not designed to murder his spine, but knew better than to ask]

I've got it taken care of. [he capped the pill bottle and set it to the side]

And if you don't plan on leaving, at least you could get lunch. There's a deli just down the block.

Thisss... collapsing and nearly dying is not nothing. Needing pills to make your heart function isn't nothing! Christ!

[ He spat the name at the ceiling as he flapped his arms in frustration. ]

You came here to look after me?? You are the one who needs a keeper! I thought you were going to start looking after yourself?

I am. Look I've got meds, haven't I? It'll be fine. Just a rough start this morning. Will you stop worrying?

[ Will you stop worrying... was there any phrase in the universe designed to cause more worry than that one?! ]

NO, I won't stop worrying!

[ But he would at least sit down and stop flapping around the kitchen like an angry rooster. ]

What does your Doctor say?

[He rubbed the bridge of his nose. He did not want to have this conversation and all it entailed. Why couldn't Anthony just leave well enough alone?]

What do you think I have these for? [he poked the meds again]

How I am supposed to know, you haven't said anything about this!

[ Sitting in this chair giving Alec a glare. ]

I'm not leaving until you tell me.

It's a treatable condition. What more do you need to know?

[he could really use some coffee about now, or getting away from his snarling cousin, but he wasn't sure standing up was a good idea so he kept where he was]

What is the condition called? What is the name of your Doctor? I thought you needed surgery for this not just pills? How many times have you blacked out recently?

Do you need more, cause I have dozens of these. I want to know everything.

Ugh. I'm not in the mood for this. [he rested his forehead on his arms, the anxiety blooming in his chest not doing his wincing heart much of any good. If he told Anthony the truth, the brat would never leave him alone.]

I'm fifty years old now, I don't need a nanny. [only a second after he said it he realized that might be a bit of a pointed barb right now--] Sorry. [grumbled reluctantly]

Can't you just trust that I'm looking after it? Why do you have to hover?

I'm hovering because you look like you are going to pass out and you aren't telling me anything which mean you don't want me to know!

[ And if you were going to bring up 'Nanny' well! He could take a page from her book, couldn't he?
Anthony held up his phone as a threat. ]

Start talking or I start dialing.

[damnit.

The rest of it gets him a confused look]

Dialing who?

I could start by dialing home. Once I told mum about this the whole family would hear about it.

I could dial nine eleven, get an ambulance out here to make your day difficult.

Or punch up the network and make sure every single Different out there knows you need looking after.

[ He paused and then looked to Alec's own phone. ]

Got the number of your school on there? Nah, nevermind... it would be easy enough to look it up.

[he would do it too, damn him. It was telling that Principal Downing was the least of his worries shortly followed by nine-eleven. The Different threat was just embarrassing-- but the family-- God-- He'd have Mum down his throat and Ellie-- Ellie he didn't even want to think about. She'd set up camp in his living room for God's sake and refuse to leave.]

Alright fine. But if I hear one peep out of anyone about this I am never talking to you again. [and he'd probably have to flee the country]

It's a heart arrhythmia. I go to Doctor Singh for it. [who had better respect doctor/patient confidentiality] A pacemaker could help but it's not necessary [a lie] and I could die during the operation if I had it. [a stark truth]

But it's treatable with these bloody things and diet and so on. Are you satisfied?

[ Anthony found he had been staring at the tabletop, glaring a hole into the wooden top. ]

Yeah.

[ He was satisfied. All that sounded true enough... and if the surgery could kill him. He frowned. ]

You shouldn't be living on your own if you're sick. You could pass out and nobody would find you.

Oh don't start. I've been living with this for years now. I'm fine. [and he didn't want to be bundled off into someone's care like a child or someone long retired. He wasn't that old and he wasn't dead yet]

[ They would drive each other crazy. There would be one battle after the next. A bathroom monopoly would be created. They would have to share the bed... it was large enough for two people but Alec was not as snugly as Grace. That would put a real crimp into his lovelife.

And yet he found himself saying. ]

Pack some things. You can stay with me.

[ Because Alec's life was important to him.
Anthony stood and paced across the room to search out a suitcase. He had to have one some where. Everyone had a suitcase. ]

No.

It's not happening. And you're not coming here either so get it out of your head.

For one thing we'd kill each other. [he didn't even want to think about Grace]

[ The phone was raised over his shoulder and given a wiggle threateningly. ]

I can't just leave you on your own, with no one. It's going to suck... but deal with it. I don't want to hear on the news you died trying to climb those damn stairs. My place has a working elevator and a doorman. There would always be some one there.

[bastard]

Fine. Call them. Call whoever you like. I don't care. I'm not letting you bully me into this.