Will finally agreed to have his wet clothes removed. It was a 3hr battle just to get him to communicate with anyone. He felt very uncomfortable when the nurse tried to undress him, so he demanded to do it himself.
He'd been given his non-work clothes from his locker to change into. His hands were too cold and shaky to button up his shirt. He just about managed a few buttons so he would be decent for his next plan of action. He picked up his wallet and phone before checking if anyone was around. He made sure the coast was clear before slipping out of the ED.
He didn't want to explain to anyone about what had happened, so this was the easiest option for him.
Will made his way into the pub and ordered a round of shots. 'This should help' he thought stupidly to himself, before going and sitting next to a woman who was eying him up across the bar.
Archie went to check on Will and got a shock when he wasn't there. She wasn't at all surprised that he'd done a runner. It was his go-to response when things got tough. The only place she could think of that he'd be was, the local pub because his other go-to response was getting blackout drunk in the arms of unsuitable women.
By now, Will had downed at least 10 shots of tequila. He felt happier and more at ease now that he had some alcohol in his system. He used his usual pick up line on the woman sat almost on his lap. She ate it up, clearly wanting more. They both drank excessive amounts and did shots until they were completely wasted.
The last thing Will could remember was staggering into a dark alley, having intense sex with the woman from the bar and cutting his leg on some broken glass after stumbling over.
He'd left his jacket with his phone in the pocket at the pub. Luckily his NHS ID was in the inner pocket. The sole reason why he'd taken his wallet with him, was because there was a condom in there. His sex logic never failed, even when drunk.
Morning came around, and Archie hadn't slept thinking about where Will had gone. He hadn't returned to their shared flat and his phone went straight to voicemail everytime she tried to call him.
Luckily for her, the bar manager arrived at the ED reception with Will's blazer jacket. She was talking to a patient at the desk and instantly recognised it. Dropping everything to go and question the man holding it.
'Can I help you?' Archie said politely
'Found this in my pub last night, I believe it belongs to one of your staff members!' he replied, giving her the jacket (and a smile) before turning to walk away.
Archie immediately stopped him from leaving 'Where did the guy wearing this go?' She asked him with a worried look on her face
'He was wasted with a woman, I made them both leave before they drank my bar dry, Vodka is expensive stuff you know!' The bar owner shrugged. This time he did walk away. Leaving Archie with her own thoughts.
As if on queue, Will appeared in the same clothes he was wearing the day before. His white shirt was undone, had dirt patches all over it and red lipstick on the collar. His trouser leg was torn where he'd cut his leg on glass and he had a large 'bruise' in the crook of his neck.
He was so hungover that it was making him delirious. Not to mention the overwhelming smell of alcohol and cheap perfume coming from him was enough to suffocate anyone who stood within a mile of him.
'What the actual fuck!' Archie shouted at the young man stood in front of her 'Will, you stink! and what on earth has happened to your leg!' she said, after seeing the tear in his trousers and the dry blood surrounding it.
Will shrugged in response.
Archie had seen enough over the past few days and knew an intervention was needed. She dragged him by the arm into the changing rooms and threw him a pair of his usual navy scrubs. 'Put those on, then we will talk' she said bossily
Will had no energy to argue with her, so did as he was told. Once dressed, she decided to attack his face with a damp cloth, wiping off the dirt and lipstick marks from his jawline.
Her shade of concealer was way too dark for his fair skin. So she reluctantly asked Jade for her's (despite hating her guts) She used a makeup sponge to cover up the 'bruise' on his neck. It was such a deep shade of purple that it took 4 layers of concealer to cover it up fully.
Archie finally cleaned up the cut on his leg before dressing it with a big plaster. After she'd finished. She crouched down in front of him. 'Talk to me, Will! she said softly.
'I can't do this anymore...' Will whispered, his voice breaking with emotion. His tired eyes welling up.
Archie didn't know what to say, so she hugged him tight. Feeling emotional herself as her friend sobbed uncontrollably into her shoulder...