the root of the problem (alver x og cale)

modern day au feat. alberu x og cale

Overall, the experience had been meditative. Alberu took his time, making sure to offer his client the best possible care, before finally reaching the stage of putting in the temporary filling.

He didn't even notice the time go by at some point.

His client, apparently, did.

The man worked his jaw when he was finally able to close it, accepting the tissue offered by Alberu to wipe his mouth and saying the first words Alberu had actually heard from the man.

After all, he'd made the appointment with Mary and Jack had been the one to prep him. Alberu hadn't actually ever spoken to this man before.

"Fuck–" He swore crassly, working his half numb jaw. "I haven't had my jaw open this low since that fucking blowjob with whats-his-face."

Wow.

Alberu had not been expecting that.

He'd thought while he was working that despite looking a bit grumpy, his client looked a bit delicate. Not fragile, just held the appearance of a person who had some real class to him. Elegant was a good word for it.

The gap between that expectation and the loud oversharing was just a lot.

Cale Henituse, the client in question, stood up from the dentist chair, stretched, looked towards Alberu, and promptly fell over.

Alberu was quick on the uptake, catching Cale before he actually hit the ground with half concern for another human being and half terror about a potential lawsuit shutting down his business.

That was when he noticed something that he should have noticed a few hours ago. Or probably would have noticed if he hadn't been working alone.

Cale's temperature was high.

Not 'I run hot' high or 'I've had a few too many to drink' high, but rather 'I'm definitely feverish' high.

"Shit." He cursed, guiding Cale back down to the chair and checking him over for any other sign of discomfort or injury.

Cale glared at him, his unfocused eyes another clue that he wasn't all the way there. "Are you checking me out? 'Cause I'm not that easy, even if you are my type."

Alberu expertly and professionally ignored the feverish comment. "Do you know where you are? Do you want me to call an ambulance?"

"...what for?" Cale asked, a scrunched expression on his face. "Of course I know where I am. I'm at the stupid hot dentists place, duh. What the fuck would I need an ambulance for?" He snorted, sounding almost drunk. "You're not that hot."

Alberu sighed.

There was just so much he didn't want about this situation.

"Is there anyone I can call to come pick you up?"

Cale's until now lighthearted expression stiffened a bit at the question and he frowned at Alberu. "Fuck off! What's it to you?"

Alberu got a feeling that this guy was an angry drunk.

"Do you live alone?" He probably had the man's address in his records and he could just call a taxi for him then. The only trouble was that if he was this sick, he'd need someone to care for him.

Alberu's answer was for Cale to roll over in the chair and vomit just, just everywhere.

Alberu would establish better boundaries with his work place. He really would. He couldn't get attached to every client and take time out of his personal life to care for them.