Elizabeth
I was sitting at my desk, writing in my journal, when I realized something. It scared me half to death but it also made sense.
"If I didn't like him so damn much, then why am I feeling guilty? It's probably because he's my best fucking friend and I had to go and ruin it."
"I searched my memories for any sign of me liking him back."
"After snuggling up to him, I felt really calm. Like, sort of protected by his presence."
I flew down the hall to Brian's room, practically kicking down the door to get to him. He was laying across his neatly made bed, reading yet another book. He jumped when I ran in, dropping the thing on his lap. "Jesus, Liz, I'm readi-"
"Will you go out with me?"
Brian
Uh... Liz just barges in here, interrupts my reading, and asks me to go out with her. I sit up, looking at her.
Liz
Brian sat up, book falling to the floor. A stared at me for a moment before a smile spreads across his face. "That's all I've ever wanted!" He jumped up and engulfed me in a hug.
He picked me up and laid me on his bed. He sat next to me, lifting my head to rest in his lap. "I thought this was a friends-with-benefits sort of thing, on account of unreciprocated love..?" I felt a hand reach up and gently rub my hair. "I realized that I have unknown feelings for you," I said.
He looked so happy in that moment. "Well, where to?" He continued rubbing my hair, like he was petting me, and it felt really nice. "We could start out normally, like a couple who just met. We could do that coffeehouse near the Flying Chicken?" The Flying Chicken was where we got Chinese takeaway.
He nodded and practically glowed, he was smiling so hard. It was so adorable. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I didn't know what my feelings were; only that I had them.
Freddie
"Okay, so Mr. Mercury, this is Zin," he waved at the Asian man standing next to him. "Zin, this is Freddie." Zin waved at me. "Hello!" He spoke a wee bit of English.
Dr. Singer showed me a chart with a bunch of numbers and letters on it. "What's this?" I didn't know what I was supposed to be looking at. "This is a blood chart. You and Mr. Zin here have different blood types, but luckily, you can take his blood donation." I smiled.
This entire treatment was an experiment, that's why I was checking into a hospital. I had to stay there for a month, laying in bed while I was given Anti-AIDS blood. Apparently, this guy was immune to diseases like AIDS, so if they replaced my blood and perhaps bone marrow with his, I could be cured.
I got the hospital gown on, where they hooked me up to all these machines. One did my heart rate, another my brain waves... I was nervous.
"Okay, round 1 of 'Save The Mercury' is underway!" Giggled a nurse as she plugged a needle into my hand which was connected to a bag of blood. I wondered how the man wouldn't die; this is a lot of blood. But, I've heard from Liz and Brian that your body makes more overnight so he should be fine. Nerds.
2 weeks later
"How're you feeling?" Asked Jim. He'd come to visit me every other day, as he couldn't get off early every day. "I'm feeling... normal. I know something happened, but I don't know," I admitted. Last week, they had plugged me into a monitor that recorded what my lungs did after the daily checkup. They wouldn't tell me why they had to track my lungs, only that it was necessary.
I was poked and prodded wth needles and medicines everyday, it was getting old. I had to lie there while they pushed a 6 inch needle into my lung, to see how they were doing. It felt like hell. The doctor was keeping track of my entire immune system: brain, heart, lungs, vital organs... It was a lot, but I think I'm getting better.
I told the rest of the band the day before I checked in; Brian and Liz already knew, but John teared up a bit. I had told him not to worry. But inside, my stomach was turning inside out. I heard a knock at the door.
I looked up to see a weary Brian and Liz walking in. Liz was stunning, in a lime sundress and aviator shades. I was a little intimidated, not going to lie.
I was about to greet them when 3 doctors rushed in, rambling about scientific nonsense I didn't understand. They were looking at my monitors, specifically my lung one. I assume it was serious, because I heard the word surgery. I looked to Brian and Liz's faces to see if they would translate for me; they usually did.
Liz put a hand over her mouth and Brian grew expressionless. "What is it?" I looked from the doctors to the others.
Brian leaned forward, whispered something to them, and walked outside. Liz walked to me, tears in her eyes. "What were they talking about?" My heart began to speed up, the monitor told me that much. "The guy who was giving you blood-" "Zin," I corrected.
"Right, Zin. He died just minutes ago, his body gave out from losing all that blood in so little time, and they're planning an emergency transplant. But it's dangerous, Fred." She sat down and stoked my arm. If she was crying, it must be serious. Jim looked at the girl with an equally confused expression as me, but I could sense panic.
"What're they gonna transplant, Liz?"
"Marrow, the rest of his blood, and..." she stopped, choking back more tears. "What? What?!" I shook her arm. She looked down at me with a morose expression.
"Your lungs."
She wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. "When they sent in the blood from Zin, the virus attacked your lungs and lungs only. They're... they're prepping the surgery room now," Liz stood up and walked to the window. I looked at Jim, who had tears streaks on his face.
"What happens if they don't transplant in time?" Liz looked back at me, fists clenched and a red face.
"You'll die Freddie! Your lungs will shrivel up and you'll suffocate!"
