turps

What happens is this.

Bob doesn't go back to Brian's place. What he plans to do is go back to his own apartment and spend a few days on the couch watching TV and eating junk food -- the good kind of junk food, not the slightly squashed burgers and flattened chips the others have been smuggling in.

Bob, because he's Bob insists that he's discharged earlier than the hospital would like. He doesn't sign himself out, he's not that stupid, but he does fudge the fact that he'll be going home alone. Fact is, by that point he's tired of people. He loves them but there's always someone there wanting to check that he's okay and watching to make sure he doesn't collapse again -- Bob hates that look in their eyes, it hurts more than the actual physical hurts, the knowledge that he caused his friends so much pain and worry.

So he plans his discharge carefully, waiting until Mikey and Frank are visiting -- Frank's still in his casts and someone always goes with him when he heads off to the bathroom or for a coffee, Frank's like Bob in that way, saying he's fine when he's not at all -- and as soon as they leave for a few minutes to get magazine Bob said he needed Bob calls for the nurse and says he's ready to go. Of course he's already signed his discharge papers and the staff think he's leaving with Mikey and Frank but what happens is Bob's wheeled out and then sincerely thanks the nurse pushing him before getting into the waiting cab.

Sitting in the back he slumps back, aching all over still but feeling lighter than he has for a while, knowing that no one is watching and soon he'll be home.

Of course that feeling doesn't last for long. When he actually gets to his place it takes forever to get inside, and he's gritting his teeth by the time the rental agent -- because Bob's key is on the fucking island somewhere -- lets him inside.

It takes all his patience not to slam the door in her face and make small talk until she finally leaves and Bob gets to sprawl on his own couch. Except, sprawling hurts, and getting up for a drink exhausts him and reaching for the remote makes things pull and by the time he's been home a few hours he's cold, hungry and feeling sick.

Which of course is when Brian arrives. He's pissed and starts to lay in to Bob about fucking idiots who think they're healed when they're not and how Bob's obviously left his brain on the island because running away, fucking seriously? And Bob would argue back but Brian's covered him with a soft blanket and giving him his meds and a cold drink and Bob's too tired to actually work up any kind of annoyance, especially when Brian finally sits on the sofa too, pulls a little bit of the blanket over himself and sits so close they're touching as he says, fucking idiot.

After that Brian doesn't really leave. He's not living there officially and gives Bob his space by working on his laptop in the other room for part of the day. But a lot of time they spend watching TV together and eating the food Brian cooks until weeks pass and Bob really is feeling better and Brian says, all off hand, I guess I should go home.

And Bob shrugs and says equally off hand, you don't have to and then Bob hesitates and then smiles as he adds, I'd like you to stay.

So Brian does.