AN: Chapter 13! And a few new characters! Enjoy!
TW: domestic violence/abuse
Hephaestion wasn't a drinker, and Alexander wasn't either, usually, but one night Hephaestion found themselves at a club with a bar and saying hello to someone Alexander knew and recognized in the loud throng of the club.
"Phai, this is Darius and his boyfriend Bagoas. Darius and I went to the same college, though we were in very different programs, weren't we, Dar?"
The older bearded man smiled and nodded, saying hello to Hephaestion before sitting at the bar next to Alexander and ordering another drink, but Hephaestion's attention was immediately drawn to the much younger man Darius had brought over with him, who they had seen flinch out of the corner of their eye as Darius accepted his next drink.
The younger – about ten years Darius' junior, Hephaestion guessed. More Alexander's and their own age – man, caught their eye for a brief moment and then hastily looked away, his gaze now focused away from their small group, somewhere toward the top shelf behind the bar. Hephaestion thought this was odd, especially when they saw Bagoas reach for Darius without looking at him, and then nearly jump back when Darius simply moved to better take his boyfriend's hand, concerned and loving as far as Hephaestion could see.
After a moment, Bagoas leaned in cautiously and whispered something to his partner, and when Darius pointed out the bathrooms around the corner from where they all sat at the bar, Hephaestion saw him shudder the tiniest bit at Darius' movement.
Bagoas disappeared after a moment and Hephaestion was pulled from their thoughts by Alexander checking in with them and kissing them on the temple before turning back to Darius, continuing the conversation they were having.
Time passed, and suddenly Hephaestion realized that Bagoas hadn't returned after fifteen minutes. Concerned, they turned to their companions. Darius was close to blackout drunk, but Alexander caught their fearful look and questioned it, but it was all Hephaestion could do to not answer him and stand up from their stool, muttering, "Bathroom," to no one in particular. Alexander heard them though, and nodded in acknowledgment.
The next minute, Hephaestion was knocking on the door to the men's bathroom and announcing themself by calling Bagoas'name before opening the door. And stopped in surprise, staring at the prone figure nearly curled into a fetal position on the surely filthy bathroom floor across from the door.
"Bagoas?" They asked, stepping a little closer until Bagoas sat up with a speed Hephaestion was sure made him dizzy. It made them dizzy just watching him, "Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?"
The tears on his face and in those jade eyes were quickly gone, almost as fast as Hephaestion blinked, and they weren't sure if they had seen them at all. Next that little smile was back in its proper place and Bagoas stood up stiffly from the tile floor, and Hephaestion was almost certain they saw him wince and heard him gasp before he took a breath and Hephaestion wondered if they had seen or heard anything at all as Bagoas spoke cheerfully.
"Phai! Yes, I'm fine. I just needed a moment away. I cry when I drink, and I don't like crying in public. I'm sorry you had to come looking for me."
Hephaestion was confused for a moment; they hadn't seen Bagoas drink anything, "It's all right. I just thought you might need some help, you left and didn't come back. I got worried."
Those eyes widened in what Hephaestion knew was fear, although they didn't understand why this young man was suddenly afraid, "I'm so sorry! I'm sorry I worried you! I didn't mean to!"
Hephaestion chuckled, but they were growing more and more concerned by the minute. What was wrong? "It's all right, Bagoas. Just as long as you're okay. Do you want to come out and join us again?"
Bagoas nodded, but it seemed a bit too eager, "Yes, of course. I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I promise. Are you decent?"
When he nodded, Hephaestion opened the bathroom door and quickly found their companions, "Look who I found!"
Alexander jumped up from his bar stool, greeting the now found man before wrapping him in a hug. Hephaestion could only roll their eyes fondly at their boyfriend. Alexander had always been a happy drunk. Looking over at the bar for a brief moment, Hephaestion found that Darius was very different; he seemed to have passed out completely. Hephaestion couldn't fault him though. Not after they counted the seven empty pints that surrounded him on the bar.
Out of the corner of their eye, Hephaestion saw Bagoas eye Darius for a brief moment, all while scooting just a little closer to them. It seemed that he wanted to take their hand as well, but restrained the urge with difficulty, swallowing visibly before whispering, "Can we please go outside for a moment? I need some air before I get us both home. Please?"
Instead of answering him verbally, Hephaestion glanced at Darius before ushering Bagoas toward the exit, a arm wrapping around his waist when Bagoas tripped on the way out the door, hissing again like he had before in the bathroom, only this time Hephaestion was sure they heard it. They put a hand between the young man's shoulder blades in support as he tried to hide a harsh sounding breath and stood up, leaning into them a little.
By now, Alexander had noticed, and was concerned, "Bagoas?"
"I'm okay…" Bagoas whispered, leaning further into Hephaestion's side before gathering his strength to stand on his own and pull away, "Maybe I should just get Darius home. A bed is much more comfortable to sleep on than the bar."
"Okay…" Alexander was hesitant, watching him now too.
"It was nice meeting you both," he waved as he stepped back into the bar, barely hiding a limp as he went.
"What was that all about?" Alexander questioned, but Hephaestion just led him away and to their car.
"I think I know, but nothing's for sure yet. I'll explain on the way."
Alexander had been distressed by Hephaestion's theory about Bagoas and Darius, and had gone to bed that night with wet tears still on his cheeks and trying, with no success, to figure out why and when the man he had thought of as a friend had become an abuser. Hephaestion told him flat out that it wasn't his fault, that people like this were very good at hiding their temper and abuse toward others, but Alexander wasn't quite convinced and fell into a fitful sleep beside Hephaestion that night.
They didn't get much sleep though. Hephaestion was woken up only a few hours later by tapping. Thinking it might be a neighbor in the apartment next door or below them, they turned over and tried to go back to sleep, but it wasn't even two minutes before the tapping came again, this time with a raspy call for help just outside their apartment.
Hephaestion dashed from the bed so fast that their sudden movement woke their boyfriend, but by that point Hephaestion had opened their front door and was screaming for Alexander to call 911.
"What-?" As soon as he saw Bagoas laying on the hallway floor, black and blue and coughing up blood, the question died in Alexander's mouth and he was rushing off to do as his datemate had ordered.
The ride to the hospital in the back of the ambulance was a blur for Hephaestion, and then they were sent to a waiting room with Alexander as Bagoas was rushed into the emergency room. Waiting in the impersonal, cold room, both Alexander and Hephaestion held on tightly to one another, worried beyond belief. Hephaestion's body shook and they wouldn't speak when Alexander briefly tried to ask them questions- or maybe they couldn't.
Even so, after long enough for Alexander to get restless and get up to start pacing, a nurse came out of the emergency room and confirmed that they were the ones to bring Bagoas in. When that was done, she explained what they had found.
"He has a collapsed lung and several ribs broken. Do either of you know what happened?"
"We weren't there, he came to us for help, but it's likely his boyfriend beat him and threw him out," Alexander whispered, still coming to terms with the truth about Darius.
The nurse nodded, probably expecting something like that, and continued, "When he's well enough, there will be police officers available for him to talk to if he wants. For now, he's on a ventilator and on some heavy drugs."
"Can we see him?"
"He won't be very responsive, but you can sit with him. Room 306."
"Thank you so much," with that, they moved towards the elevators and were soon walking down a new hall towards Bagoas' room after getting permission at the nurses' station on the floor. Coming to room 306, Hephaestion respectfully knocked on the closed door before quietly entering the room with their boyfriend behind them.
Bagoas was surrounded by wires and machines, and Hephaestion nearly sobbed at the sight of it. His heart hurt so much for this young man. He didn't deserve how he had been treated.
The thin hospital gown barely hid a raised chest where a flat one was expected, but this bothered neither Hephaestion nor Alexander as they approached the bed and Hephaestion carefully set a kiss on a bruised cheek. Bagoas could explain it to them when he was ready.
"I'm so sorry, Bagoas. I'm so sorry, Sweetheart."
They stayed with Bagoas as long as visiting hours would allow, and left with a solemn promise from the new shift of nurses to call if there were any changes or if Bagoas woke up.
It took two days for them to receive that call, and as soon as they walked into Bagoas' hospital room, he started sobbing and trying to hide, taking no heed of the ventilator or other wires attached to his body.
"No, no! Bagoas, stop! It's okay, Sweetheart, it's okay," they rushed to his bedside as he began to choke on the ventilator from the force of his panicked tears, "You need to calm down, can you do that for us? We'll get you a nurse, but you need to try and relax. Just breathe. You're not in any danger anymore, we promise."
The young man stared at them, tears streaming down his face as a nurse entered the room and checked on him. When it was found that he was okay for the moment, at least medically speaking, she left and closed the door behind her. As soon as it was certain they were all alone for the moment, Hephaestion spoke calmly to Bagoas.
"We're not mad, Sweetheart. Whatever you need to tell us, whenever you want to tell us, it's up to you. We'll help you no matter what you decide to tell us, okay? You don't have to be afraid anymore."
The light in Bagoas' eyes had changed, a clear question in them, "Promise?"
Alexander nodded, his face serious, "We swear. You're safe. Nobody will ever hurt you again."