Kevin Barr was a fan of many things. He was a lover of red meat and hard liquor. He was someone who could appreciate a night alone in a museum. He was a follower of the law. As a cop in this town, that was a rarity. One thing that definitely did not peek his fancy, was blood. Especially when it was pouring onto the leather seats of his new friend's shitty car.
"Hang in there kid. We're almost there." He said, not really expecting an answer. Jimmy had gone quiet a few minutes ago. Kevin didn't think it was safe to stop driving to do anything about that though. He was happy to hear a strangled grunt in response.
Finally they pulled into the back alley Jimmy managed to punch into the gps before resigning to the folds of the passenger seat. A large, red brick wall, a single amber light illuminating a heavy metal door. A glowing salvation piercing through the heavy rain. Kevin barely pulled the emergency brake before getting out. This kid wasn't supposed to be there. He was a C.I. not a cop. He wasn't supposed to get hurt like this. But it was all Kevin's fault to begin with now wasn't it?
Throwing open Jimmy's door, and grabbing the shrinking and wet form, Kevin was greeted by an all too cold and unpleasing squish as he carefully pulled him into a bridal carry, doing his best not to disturb the wound.
Climbing the single concrete step and reaching the gray metal door, Kevin prayed to a god he hadn't heard from in years that the building was still occupied.
His hands filled by his dying companion, he started kicking at the door. First, doing his best not to shake Jim, but then getting more active and violent when he couldn't hear movement.
"Come on Doc, please! I'm not gonna hurt ya!" Oh, nice Barr. Real convincing. "It's Jimmy! He's hurt! He told me to come here!"
As if that were the magic phrase, the metal door slid open with a hiss and a peculiar figure stood in front of him. Before Kevin could fully take him in, the figure yelled, "Start with that next time, shit head! Get in now!"
Things started to move in bullet time. The stranger moved quick, a white lab coat flowing, loose on their shoulders. It trailed behind them almost like a cape. "If Jim brought you here, then you should know enough to not ask questions. Set him down here."
A stainless steel table was placed in the middle of the room. Pungent with the smell of industrial cleaner and, lemon? No, not lemon.
"It's cactus. Stop questioning the smells and put him down, gently." The stranger barked.
Kevin did so and couldn't help but get caught looking at the kid's face. He was so pale. So soft and young looking. He, was he gonna-?
"HEY!" The stranger barked. Kevin looked up at him. "New rule. Look at me and only me for now. Got it?" Kevin remained silent, only a small nod given as an answer. "Good. My name is Dr. Delladecima. I've known Jimmy for years. I'm a good doctor, he's a good patient. He's gonna be fine. Now take a deep breath and tell me who the fuck you are."
Kevin followed orders. "K-Kevin Barr. Jim had me pick him up from the docks earlier. I had no idea it was because he was hurt. God I- I took my time. It was late and he said no rush and-"
"Hey. Listen. You're okay. He's here now and we got this."
Kevin nodded. "Right."
"Okay. Now. Go wash your hands in that sink behind me. Grab the tray next to it and put it on this table. Can you do that?"
Kevin nodded and followed suit. Leaving the Dr. with his friend still bleeding out on the table.
Dr. Eddward Marynn DellaDecima was many things. MD, PhD, criminal, mastermind, inventor, caretaker, friend. To Jim, he was practically a second mother. A compassionate shoulder to lean on when he had no other. Jim was the youngest of the group. The clumsiest too. Edd should have known that one day he'd be carried through those doors, ready to bleed out on his table. Edd had changed too much from who he was before this mess started to let that happen. He had spent too much time laughing at and taunting the gods of death to let this even be a possibility.
With a deep breath, Dr. DellaDecima lifted the ruined, bloody shirt off of his patient, and began cutting through the fabric. The wound was deep and wide. Right across the abdomen. The bleeding was heavy, too heavy. Definitely dealing with some internal damage. Hearing the footsteps behind him get closer, Edd grabbed a cloth and pulled it over Jim's cooling body.
"Kevin right?" Edd asked. Pulling the sedative mask over Jim's face and turning on the gas.
"Yeah"
"You okay with blood?"
"Better than I am with needles."
Edd sighed, "Good enough, brace yourself." Kevin placed the tray down and steadied himself. Still failing to hold back the gasp after seeing the wound. "Hate to see what happens when I bring out the needles." Edd jokes. Based on Kevin's face he shouldn't have. "Grab the machine over there on the left. Find an empty socket and plug it in."
It was better to give second hand shock victims a task. Better to feel useful than frozen and unneeded. Grabbing the surgical suction pump was definitely needed.
Eyes back on the patient, Edd had found the internal wound. A decent sized gash in his lower intestine. Definitely not something that could heal itself with time, but not enough to prompt full removal, thank the gods.
Making sure Kevin was still looking elsewhere, Edd's gloved hands moved to hook Jimmy up to his IV rig. He also managed to grab and fill up a needle with painkiller before a ghost white Kevin came in to view.
"Calm down. It's not for you." Dosing Jim, he turned back to Kevin, who was frozen in place. "Listen. No more needles, but if he's gonna live, I need you to step the fuck up. Now bring the machine over here."
Kevin gulped and moved closer.
"Now flip that switch there. When I say suction, I need you to stick that little nozzle right here. Got it?"
More nodding.
"Okay." And so Edd got to work. Careful and diligent as always, maybe more so since he cared so much for Jim. Eventually the internal wound was fixed. And Jim was ready to be sewn up, leaving only one problem. Not moving his eyes or head, Edd asked, "Kevin, do you know your blood type?"
Kevin was still a bit shocked. He had grown used to the silence, the subtle whirring of the surgical pump, the hiss from the gas canister,the metal clipping of the Doctor switching between tools. He thought for a sec. Nazz made him take some test a while ago. He thought it was stupid, especially after she said his blood was "the generous type."
"Um, O negative? Yeah. That's the generous type right?" Kevin asked.
"Right now it's the lucky type. Do me a favor. He's gonna wake up soon. Start talking to him so he isn't scared when he comes back to." Edd requested.
"Uh, right." Kevin said. Turning to his pale faced friend, he didn't know what all to say. "Uh, hey Jim. How you doing? That's stupid. What did you get up to tonight? You said it was a work meeting, but you and I both know what that means. I thought you were safe tonight man. I- I thought you'd be okay. Then I find you limping in the rain. Bleeding and shit. Couldn't put you in my sidecar like that so I half carried you to your car since you insisted you could still walk. Fuck. Should of just carried you anyway. I remember when we first met. I shook your hand and your entire body moved up and down. Heh. You're still such a kid. Why are you messed up in this man. I just wish I could help you find something better already. You deserve more than this life. More than shitty friends like me. More than medical treatment in a back alley chop shop."
"I'll have you know I'm fully licensed. And he won't hear you for several hours. He's gonna be down till the morning with all the painkillers he's on." Edd smiled beneath the mask.
"Then why am I giving this heart to heart man?" Kevin asked a little perturbed. "You some sicko who likes hearing confessional shit?"
"Yes. Also it distracted you from the needle." Edd confessed, holding up a bag of blood, supposedly from Kevin's arm.
Kevin looked down, seeing a cotton ball and cartoon cat covered bandaid in the crux of his elbow. When did-
"You're not my first Trypanophobiac. You also just helped save his life. Would you like a drink?" Edd explained while connecting Jim to his ready donation.
Kevin's shoulders slumped and he released a heavy breath. "Gods yes."
Edd did the same and began removing his gloves. "Take off the gloves and your shirt and come with me."
Kevin paused, "My shirt?"
Edd raised an eyebrow. "The button down covered in blood and rain water? Yes. Take it off. You can borrow an old one."
Kevin nodded. He was doing a lot of that recently. Following the doctor deeper into the building he took one last glance at Jim. Wishing him well before entering the belly of one hell of a beast.
It now came to Kevin that the medical location was the converted garage of some industrial loft. Just through the door was a large living area. On his right a kitchen, his left a reading area by the front window. A car raced by, its amber light illuminating the raised bedroom space and home office/gym that laid on the other side of the open floor plan home.
"What'll you have?" The doctor asked.
Kevin turned towards him with his signature smirk. Beginning to unbutton his shirt he growled out, "What's strong and easy?"
Smirking right back, Edd leaned over the kitchen island, "My guess is, you after a couple drinks."
"What?" Kevin paused.
"What?" Edd parroted.
During the confusion, the two men took a moment to really take in each others image.
Kevin Barr. Excellent physique. The peaking of his chest that had been exposed showed a thin layer of auburn hair, that dusted over a well defined chest. His wet shirt exposed the linings of his abdomen, not the sharp divots of a washboard stomach, but the confident rolls of someone with enough muscle where it counted. His collar was pulled open revealing a deep clavicle, wide, rounded shoulders, and hint of a day's hairy shadow creeping up his neck. His jaw was sharp, defined. Graced with more muted ruby flecks. His hair cut short, probably regularly buzzed and left to grow on its own, filling in where it may. Edd took an extra moment to contemplate his face. Definitely handsome. His nose peaked, reaching a small upturn at the end. Cute in a way. His lips, full, but not abnormally so. His eyes captured Edd's attention though. Rounded on their own, but his thick and jagged brows sharpened them in thought. Piercing Edd to his core. Edd did catch something interesting bulging from his waist.
Dr. Dell? Dr. Diodisalkis? Dr. Della-decimal? Dr. D. His shirt was orange. He was wearing some wine-dark pants. Not black but definitely dark. He looked a bit thrown together. It's probably that Kevin knocked while Edd was asleep. Would he have just showed up in his underwear and sewn Jim up if he knew? Kevin resisted the temptation to think about it. His olive skin complemented his brilliant green eyes, and dark hair that peeked out of some kind of hat. He was smooth skinned and brilliant. His eyes intense and stunning to be watched under. His body was slender and toned beneath his clothes. Waist thin, hips wide, feminine in figure but strong masculine features in his face. The good doctor would also be the one to break the silence.
"Sorry. Thought we had a thing going. You seem like a scotch guy. Let's see what I got." Edd shakes his head. He bends over fiddles with some bottles below the counter.
"Yeah. Scotch works." Kevin settled.
"Hm. You helped me save Jim's life. I chipped your ego. You seem like a good guy. You like Springbank?" Edd asked.
"Um. I don't… know?" Kevin confessed. "I'll trust your judgement Dr. D. I usually just take whatever my bartender gives me."
Edd scoffs. "Dr. D. I like it. Most people just call me Edd. Or Double D. Or The Doctor. Here. Take a sip of this." Edd says, sliding a glass to Kevin. Kevin brings the glass to his lips. And slowly lets the drink wash over his tongue. It coats his mouth, stimulating his senses. The taste is sweet first, then a smoky lemon lingering flavor. He swallows and feels the burning sensation run down his throat.
"Shit man." Kevin belts. "That's good. Taste expensive though."
Edd nods. "Eh. Just a single malt. Figured you wouldn't take well to the fancy shit. Only like 50 bucks a bottle. Not bad. It's not the highland park or anything. Those start at like a hundred per malt."
Kevin gulps and just nods his head. This guy is definitely fancier then he's used to. Edd pours him another glass and goes back under the counter. Kevin takes another long sip and enjoys the strong bouquet of flavors.
"If you don't mind, I do have one other matter of business I need to discuss." Edd calls from below. Raising his body back over the counter. Edd points his gun at Kevin's center. "Why the fuck did a cop bring Jimmy back to my shop?"