Aaron (hospital AU)

[mooningremus]

Remus woke up laying in a bed in the emergency room. "Where... am I?" he asked, his voice a croak.

"Ah, welcome back," said a woman standing by his bed. She was wearing a nurse's uniform. "You're in the hospital. A helpful bystander found you passed out on the sidewalk. You don't have any ID on you. What's your name?"

"Remus Lupin." He rubbed his head, and realized he was connected to an IV.

"It's saline," the nurse said. "You're severely dehydrated. Malnourished too from the looks of it though we're waiting for more bloodwork. Any medical conditions we should know about?"

"I'm HIV positive," Remus said with a sigh. "I... I'm so sorry about all this trouble. I'm fine, I probably just... haven't been taking care of myself..." Or more accurately, couldn't afford food.

"Well you should feel better once you're hydrated, and I'll send a doctor in to do a workup," the nurse said. "Rest."

Remus nodded, feeling like a complete idiot. Or maybe burden to society. Or something. And a few hours later he had a diagnosis of nothing worse than what the nurse had said. Though at least confirmation that his HIV status hadn't transformed into something worse. Sometimes he had trouble with food when the shelters were full, but he went to the HIV clinic to get his meds.

The nurse also kindly brought him some fresh clothes. He did feel better as he prepared to leave.

Comments

[quitollis]

"Whenever you're ready then, we can go to my flat," Aaron said.

[mooningremus]

There were only so many times Remus could thank him, so he only nodded. "I travel light," he said, nodding down to a clean but slightly ragged backpack he had with him.

[quitollis]

"That's quite alright," Aaron said. "I have extra supplies, so if you need anything... I'm sure we can find it." He stood and took his tray. "Let's go."

[mooningremus]

Remus nodded and followed along with him. He wondered if this was a good idea. But that was mostly because he felt like an imposition, not because he thought he was in danger or anything like that. Clearly Aaron was just a good man.

[quitollis]

"It's not far," Aaron said as they walked. "Around thd corner, in fact. It came with the job."

[mooningremus]

"Oh, that's very convenient," Remus said. Perhaps he should have become a priest.

[quitollis]

"One of the perks. You go where they send you, but lodgings are included," he said, conversationally.

[mooningremus]

"I imagine there are some drawbacks to your job as well," Remus said. "But it's... a calling?" He'd almost felt that way about teaching once.

[quitollis]

"It is, yes," Aaron said after a moment of thought. "It saved my life, in many ways."

[mooningremus]

"Oh? Maybe I should look into it," Remus joked.

[quitollis]

"Well, I mean that my path was not leading to anything good before," Aaron said. "Not that I would dissuade anyone from following the same path I travelled, but you don't seem particularly religious."

[mooningremus]

"I am not," Remus confirmed. "My grandmother was, but not in the good way. In the like, you're going to burn in the fires of hell if you touch yourself or don't obey your husband kind of way. Turned my mother off of it enough that I never set foot in a church growing up."

[quitollis]

"There's a lot of that, unfortunately," Aaron admitted. "I try to follow a different path. One where everyone is welcome."

[mooningremus]

"Yeah, uh..." Remus sighed. "They're both dead now but my mother never spoke to her again after my grandmother suggested that what happened to me was because she'd raised me as a heathen."

[quitollis]

"Those are very difficult discussions. I've had them often. People find blame in the different and it's hard changing their minds."

[mooningremus]

"Well I don't think you're going to turn me into a priest, but you may at least change my perspective on the church a bit," Remus said.

[quitollis]

"And perhaps provide a little hope along the way," Aaron added. "This is it," he said, walking up to a plain building. It wasn't shabby, but it wasn't fancy either.

And once inside, there clearly wasn't a lot of personal stuff either. It was simple. The only things that stood out were the crucifix on the wall and a number of empty carved wooden picture frames. "Make yourself at home."

[mooningremus]

Remus set his bag down, and then walked past the picture frames. He picked up one of them.

"This feels like quite a metaphor," he said.

[quitollis]

"I just like woodcarving. And picture frames. I usually end up gifting them, but...well, the hospital doesn't have jumble sales," he smiled.

[mooningremus]

"They're very nice," Remus said, running a finger over the wood. He chuckled. "You could put paintings of Jesus in them I suppose."

[quitollis]

Aaron chuckled. "I'm not sure about that..."

"Anyway, they'll vanish one by one, I'm sure," he said. "And I don't have a shed anymore, so I can't carve more."

[mooningremus]

"That's a shame," Remus said. "I mean, if you enjoy it. I imagine there's something soothing about woodcarving." He put the frame back down.

[quitollis]

"I'll find something new, I'm sure," Aaron said, trying not to mind too much. "It was very soothing, yes. Sometimes it felt like it brought me closer to God even than prayer. The repetitive motions of filing and polishing... I suppose some might call it meditation. And it's nice to create something new from a piece of plain wood."

[mooningremus]

"Maybe a coloring book," Remus offered. "The ones with all the complicated shapes."

[quitollis]

Aaron chuckled, assuming it was a joke, but it was a kind suggestion still. "I can set you up here in the living room, if you don't mind. I don't really have a spare bedroom."