New year, new me? Or whatever they say. [cw]

Kurtis rolled his eyes with a sigh as Jeremy seemed unmovable in his decision. He just couldnt be bothered with eating when he felt like shit. It was like a healthy mind healthy body for him and he felt neither. “That could be dangerous.” He said to Zaira but he wasnt really against it. She would at least be able to say something about how Damiano was really doing.

He hoped she was right. Even if he didnt really care that he got hurt, it would be something else if it was his friends. Or at least that was how he drew his logical thinking about the whole situation. Her addition made him nod, though he had let her crash if she needed it any day without ever expecting something in return.
She came closer and Jeremy let her give him a hug, though all he could manage was patting her back with his hand. Kurtis chuckled at her accusation, because in a sense it was true. He at least hadnt been living off of a lot of food, at least the good kind. “You cant run away from this.” Kurtis told Jeremy, taking the pan with him along with a wooden board to place it on.

The wound had healed but there was a quite noticable scar. Eventually when everything had calmed down, Jeremy had managed to feed his parents a story about getting away from a hungry vampyre and getting some help on the way. They were of course scared but since it seemed like a one in a million chance kind of thing, they didnt keep him at home from school. He was sitting in the library with his study group by the time his phone buzzed. Excusing himself he left to pick it up, surprised to hear Giana on the other side.
“Okay I’m listening.” He simply replied as she rather quickly had disclosed that she had no time. He frowned a little at what he was hearing but hummed and sighed. “Let me think about it.” He said, a little calm but he had already made up his mind then. He thanked her and hung up before he went to pacl his bag, telling his group that something had come up.
Down the hall he was spotted by Kurtis that knew his schedule pretty well by now. “Where are you going?” He asked the passing nephilim, grabbing his shoulder to stop him. “My mom called.” He lied, Kurtis scoffing under his breath. “Let me walk you out then, we’ll wait together.” the lycan insisted. Jeremy groaned but couldnt really say no. Once they stood outside, he told him of the phonecall and Kurtis frowned. “You’re not seriously going there on your own?” He asked, but Jeremy’s look gave it away. “God you’re fucking dumb.” He sighed.
“I’m coming with you. At least to make sure you get out again. Though they’d be right to keep you for being absolutely nuts.” Kurtis added, Jeremy glaring at him but he didnt get to have a say. “Lead the way.” Kurtis gestured.

They headed to the place and Jeremy for one had never been at a place like this. Kurtis was just quiet so he didnt know what the lycan was thinking. They were greeted by a nurse and Jeremy just nodded while Kurtis looked around. "I'm here to see someone. A young man." he said, crossing his arms a little as he felt a tension in his stomach.
They were led to a front desk where Jeremy stated his name, though Kurtis not being on the list just meant that the lycan said he'd be waiting outside.

It was somewhat a relief to see Damiano react to his voice and even having the hybrid turn his head to look at him. When he thought about it, he felt quite guilty for Damiano being here in the first place. Had he just minded his business, they could’ve probably both been in school now. “I know you are.” He said, as he looked at his hands, his arms to at least where the sleeves hadnt reached.
“Damiano.” He said a little more seriously as the hybrid started speaking what Jeremy best thought of as nonesense though he didnt blame him for crying. He just gave him a moment to collect himself if he needed it. He drew in a deep breath and looked out the window. “If I hated you or never wanted to see you again, I wouldnt have shown up. But I’m here now.” He said quite stubbornly but it was also the whole truth. “I’m here because I care about you and I want you to get better so you can get out of here.”

“That’s not true.” Jeremy protested but maybe it was naive. It wasnt just that Damiano had been a little out of touch with himself, a lot had gotten hurt from it now. And even if the nephilim wanted to believe that this was all simple, it just wasnt. A beard? He frowned a little but Damiano quickly explained. It could have sounded absurd in a funny way but Jeremy just took a look at his cheek and then it wasnt funny in the slightest.
“Because of the meds?” He asked, because he had remembered what Damiano’s father had said about it. He carefully lifted his own hand, to reach over and place over Damiano’s. This felt fine, he didnt feel different or scary when he touched him. That had to be a good sign right?

Jeremy didnt know what it felt like to be on meds like that but he wasnt dying to know either. He looked at their hands, though Damiano seemed to pull away, blaming it on the doctors. Jeremy just nodded and sighed. To him it more just sounded like a way to keep Damiano from touching others but he wasnt a licsensed doctor at all to make any assumptions. He however couldnt really smile with the hybrid at the notion of him waking up in the middle of the night because the meds did something weird. It actually sounded quite scary. “It at least hasnt taken away your sense of humor.” He said with a small scoff, smiling slightly at his own words. He felt quite warm in this place, unsure if it was seeing Damiano again or something else. He however didnt want to unbutton the collar like he normally did when he felt too warm. “The students you fought were discharged last week. They’re all back in school again, beside a broken arm, it doesnt seem like anyone’s been crippled or brain damaged… well beyond what already existed for them to say what they did.” He explained, looking at his lap as he understood why Damiano had gotten so angry at what they had said.

“It’s not like they’d be good friends either, so maybe you’ve just saved yourself from some shitty friends.” He said, trying to remain positive about it. As he had been in denial, he had also had lots of friends that probably hadnt been that good for him. At least he could look back and realize that much of what they said had bothered him for a good reason.
He listened as Damiano explained, glancing at him though he couldnt stop looking at a scratched bruise or the cut and wonder how he had gotten it. If it could have been stopped and why it hadnt been. “You’re just saying that because you’re in a bad headspace right now. I dont buy into this monsters shouldnt love bullshit because everyone has to love something.” He just argued but it was because he believed it to be true. “And you’re different but you’re not evil. You cant tell me that you’ve been sitting here hurting yourself just for fun.” He said in a more serious tone before he paused to wet his lips and think his words through. “I dont want to be a trigger, or say something dumb. But I want you to get better so I can hold your hand again and watch like a sundown or some of the other things we did and never spoke of again. And I want to talk about those things.” He said, feeling his own jaw tense a little but he had to suck it up.

He felt stupid for standing there crying, when it wasnt really him that should be the one to be comforted but it was just a difficult situation. Damiano cupped his face and he let him, looking at him as he clarified that it wasnt that. He looked at him with sad eyes, though had it really been what was necessary, then he would have done it. It had definitely been shooting himself in the foot.
"Me too..." he mumbled. He looked at him with soft eyes, though he noticed how he was shaking. “You’re shaking.” He whispered, lifting his hands to place over the hybrid’s. There wasnt things that he hadnt dreamt off too. “Do you remember that story you told me when I had to buy you breakfast? Me working a simple job, but having this amazing partner and family? That’s what I want.”