ROLEPLAY HQ - midnight-rain

Trigger Warnings: Abuse, neglect, dark themes

Tired. So, so damned tired. For the last few days, William "Will" Carter had been feeling rather tired. Ill and lethargic, he had been battling a terrible fever and the most awful pain in his jaw. He was sure he had some sort of abscess or perhaps a broken tooth, but he didn't have the time nor the money to go and see some form of medical professional. Not between classes, working Walmart shifts for 4-5 hours after school and all weekend that was. A few moments a day stolen away for his sketchbook was all he really had, and that was such a precious time he didn't want to give it up. And he wondered for what, sometimes. He had little money to his name, as anything he did earn was stolen by his parents. $100 hidden in his locker and that was pretty much it, and that was risky. It would be incredibly easy for someone to take this if they knew it was there, or if they just felt like seeing whom they could steal from! But it was safer than being left at home to be taken in moments, even if he had to cover up... He glanced around a moment, seeing others coming to form a queue for the class he was attending. For a moment he seemed okay where he was stood, then the hall started to spin. Patches of black and blurriness invaded his vision, and the next thing he knew his legs went out from under him and he fell backwards. He couldn't recall who, if anyone, was near him...

One long night unpacking and rearranging her studio apartment and a lack of caffeine in her system had Ash feeling rather cantankerous . Her foul mood clearly evident on her face as she made her way through the hall of the art department building. She had almost slept through her phones alarm for her first day of classes but she'd managed to hall her ass out of bed after the third snooze and get ready just in time. The trek to the campus wasn't terrible, just a few blocks down the road from the place she had rented but that didn't mean she was early enough. As she made her way towards the door of the class she was to attend first she noticed the cue of people. Luckily most seemed to veer away from her as she came up, though one particularly shrimpy looking kid who was paying attention ahead of him rather than behind. It was pretty much the norm for her, most steering clear as if they knew she was bad news, or better yet that she was bad luck. It had been her fate time and time again, hence why this was the third college she had enrolled in in the last two years. She was running from something, something Ash wouldn't even tell her friends, well. She wouldn't have if she had any, which she didn't. The line moved forward as the other class goers began filing inside the double doors which Ash had every intention of doing herself, except the tiny kid in front of her fell backwards, his head hitting her tits. Instinctively she held her hands out to catch him from collapsing on the floor in a heap of a mess. A sigh escaped her as others just went around her and walked into the lecture hall. Though one girl seemed smart enough and grabbed the professors attention and after everyone was inside save for Ash and the mystery of stick and bones the older man came out, a stern look on his face. "You know him? Take him to the infirmary." Was all he said before turning in and shutting the metal and wood door, promptly dismissing her. .

18:47

"Fucking hell." She shook her head, another long sigh and she moved her arms to scoop up the kid, his pale head lulled against her arm and she repositioned her arm so he wouldn't squirm too much and possibly hurt himself. "Kid, you alive in there?" @StrawberryFieldsForever

Throughout the entire time Alex was dealing with him, William was initially unconscious. He hadn't felt her catch him, heard her speaking to the professor nor her sighing about the entire situation. Infact, he only seemed to stir into some sort of conscious state when she scooped him into her arms and spoke to him directly. A soft, low moan of confusion and discomfort seemed to signal that he was awake first and foremost, before a pair of soft blue eyes fluttered open. He looked into hers for a moment, his own eyes showing a mixture of emotions. Unbridled fear, dancing with a deep sadness and an uncertainty that seemed to stretch deep into his soul. But there was a light of warmth and kindness somewhere too, that just needed to be unlocked and supported. "I..I think so." Was his response, which given that he was clearly alive could have been taken as funny to the right or wrong person, depending on your view point. He lifted his head from her arm for a moment, not knowing if to move and try and walk on his own or if to allow this woman to help him. She was a stranger, after all. But she was the very picture of beauty and allurance to him. Despite the aura of a foul mood and the cantankerous nature she seemed to display, he could sense some sort of warmth and kindness buried deep down inside, and he gazed into her eyes for a moment more as if trying to find something to focus on other than the fever and headaches he had. His eyes ran over her face, and he managed a tiny smile towards her. She had beautiful eyes, and what he saw as strong and noble features. "I like your hair... And outfit..." He spoke, resting his head back onto the cold leather jacket. He did like this, and he was content to stay here for a moment if she was willing to let him. A small, soft smile crossed his lips once more before he placed a soft, pale and kinda cold hand on her cheek for a second as a gesture of thanks, if she would let him of course. @Here Lies Nymphy

An unflattering snort of a laugh came out before Ash could stop it, her eyes glancing down at the dude in her arms. It was honestly sad how light he was and Ash wondered if that was perhaps part of the reason he seemed so out of it. Her eyes flicked back up to where she was walking, it wouldn't do him any good if she didn't pay attention to where she was going and possibly got lost or worse, they somehow fall and he end up getting hurt. Every once in awhile she would glance down at him, feeling like his eyes were on her the whole time. He was burning up, the heat radiating off of his body so bad that where he connected with her skin she was practically sweating. "Thanks, I guess." She repositioned him slightly in her arms as she headed down the stairs towards the main door. Despite being so hot all over she noticed that his hands were cold as he placed one on her cheek. Startled she looked down at him, what had happened to him to be in this sort of condition. "Just...hold on, alright?" Ash said awkwardly as she turned around and used her back to open the door since her hands were kind of full. Once outside she took a deep breath, the crisp fall air a pleasant burn down her lungs. "I think I remember the infirmary is that way." She mumbled to herself as she tried to remember the map she had been given awhile ago. "Why did you come to school if you're so sick?" Ash couldn't help the curiosity she was already feeling, her concern growing for this complete stranger for once in her life. Perhaps it was due to the fact that she had a troubled past of her own, perhaps it was something unique to the bundle in her arms but Ash didn't want to think too hard about that at the moment. @StrawberryFieldsForever

He smiled meekly at her snort of laughter, kinda glad he had managed to make someone laugh. It wasn't often he got a positive reaction from someone, so it made him feel a little good inside despite his burning fever and the overall sickness he felt. At her command to hold on, he kept his small skinny arms wrapped around her before she turned back around once they were out in the crisp, fall air. The breeze across his face was rather comforting, and he didn't think it would be a good idea to go back inside yet at the same time he needed to go to the infirmary and get himself checked over. William had put it off for so long now that it was seriously affecting his health and his body. "I..I've never missed a day, and I don't wanna start now." He admitted as they moved across the courtyard towards the building with the infirmary, closing his eyes once again to try and focus on his breathing rather than anything else at that moment in time, other than how he carrying him made him feel so safe and secure. @Here Lies Nymphy (edited)

"You'll miss all the days if you're dead." Ash deadpanned, glancing down at the thin bundle in her arms. Even without a thermometer she could tell his fever was probably dangerously close to boiling his brain. "You want your brain to turn into soup?" She shook her head and sighed. They hadn't had to walk terribly far, the infirmary only across the quad. As she came up to the door someone else was exiting and they thankfully held the door once they realized her hands were full. "Thanks." She muttered not chancing a stop until she was able to put the kid in a bed. "Don't move. I'll go get one of the nurses, alright?" Awkwardly she patted his shoulder as if to comfort him before spinning on her heels and heading from the small room and to the office next door. By the time she would return she was accompanied by an older woman with gray hair, a permanently displeased look on her face. "Let's have a look at you." The nurse turned to look at Ash. "Wait outside." Ash nodded, though she wasn't sure why she would be needed. Sticking her hands in her pockets she left the room and sat in one of the few chairs that sat outside. @StrawberryFieldsForever

It was about a quarter of an hour, perhaps 20 minutes before the gray haired, miserable faced woman came out of the room and opened up the door to allow Ash back into the room. William was now sat up, resting against the pillows of the cot and tiredly watching the taller and younger of the two women as she was lead back into the room. The nurse left to make some calls, and Will remained quiet. But on that pale face was etched worry and a hint of fear, though he didn't share what exactly was the matter. Perhaps it could be assumed he looked like that because of the sickness inflicting him, though the trembling in his soft, pale hands seemed to speak of something different. He didn't speak himself, his soft blue eyes moving towards the nurse's office as she spoke on the phone for a few moments before sticking her head around the door. "We can't get a hold of your parents, you'll have to wait here." Was all she said, before she headed back into her little office leaving a worried, scared looking Will on the bed. @Here Lies Nymphy

When the nurse had left the room Ash made her way inside, unsure of what she was even still doing there but deciding perhaps he wouldn't want to be left alone with being so sick. She sat in one of the chairs leaned up against the wall on the left side of the bed, her foot bouncing as she sat there. She had just gotten comfortable when the nurse popped her head back in to inform him that she couldn't get ahold of his parents. Her eyes darted from him to the nurse and back again. Ash could tell he was worried about something, even so much that she wondered if he was scared of something. Pushing her upper torso up from the back of the chair she moved her chair closer to the bed and cleared her throat after the nurse had left. "You okay?" She doubted he would tell her the truth if he was afraid of something, she'd seen those signs before had even displayed them herself when she had been much younger. "You know... I don't think I got your name.. My names Ashley Graham, though most people just call me Ash. What's yours?" @StrawberryFieldsForever