"Karie? Helloooo?!?!" JJ stepped back eyeing the windows. He grumbled, smacking his fists on the door until it jerked open.
"Will you shut the fuck up?! Jesus's Christ, gonna alert the whole neighborhood-
"Yeah, maybe I should. What the fuck was that!"
.."You cuss?" Karie raised his hands in defense when he shoved him, storming past. "This is serious DaKarie. J- I live right across from you, I saw everything!"
"Fuck, man just..I can explai-
"Don't." JJ stared, eyes hard. Just looking at the man had him thinking of Max. What could he possibly have done to deserve being hit like that? He may not have known the guys very well but he didnt imagine..
"Hey.." JJ mumbled, shuffling into the room where Kyle was cleaning the guy up. Max looked over, bruised to hell but still managed one of his charming smiles.
Now is no time to get flustered dummy..
"Long time no see." Max joked. He winced when the washcloth pressed to his nose again. They watched Kyle's hands silently.
"Sorry, man." Max hesitated, meeting his eyes. They hadn't spoken since that night and JJ hadn't been sure why.
" I should've called." He smiled a little. The cuts on him had JJ feeling guilty.
"Dont worry about that right now."
Max watched him as a careful hand lowered to his body scrolled out on the bed. JJ held his cheek, thumb resting just on the corner of his cut lip. Max sighed, reaching up to ruffle his hair.
"Are you okay?"
"Im fine, man. Just..a misunderstanding." Max shrugged it off. He gave his best smile although it wasn't as convincing as the man seemed to believe.
JJ looked over to Kyle, not needing to ask to know the question.
He was suprised at the anger in the mans face, his fist clenching the bloodied towel.
"Kyle-"
"JJ, it was nothing. Im fine. Dont blame Karie." JJ rolled his eyes, pressing a hand to Max's mouth to shut him up. He willfully ignored the muffled laugh that came from the man.
"You know why he lost it?"
"They hooked up. Im guessing the night we got shitfaced." Kyle shrugged, mumbling. Holy..they had sex?! Duuudee.
JJ risked a glance down to Max, he eyes bulged at the shit eating grin that was no doubt on his bruise ridden face. Karie botto-..HOLY-
Max nodded enthusiastically, picking up on the realization as soon as it came.
The man was clearly proud of himself.
JJ shook his head, focusing back in on Kyle. He was still pissed.
They hook up, don't talk for a month and suddenly DaKarie is just throwing hands at whoever he wants?
"Max..brought it up. He just lost it. Then he had his whole.." Kyle trailed off, eyeing the man. Max looked away in shame.
He mumbled something incoherently. JJ lifted his hand to let the man speak however he said nothing then.
"Max.." JJ gripped his chin, making them meet eyes. He thought back to their conversation at the hospitol. "Does this have to do with..?"
He glanced over nervously at Kyle who's keen eyes narrowed at the conversation.
Max shook his head. "No alright, I-..I have..epilepsy. Not dangerous just gets triggered sometimes with too much stress and..I guess getting my ass handed to me was stressful."
"So it was 'cause of me?"
The three turned to face the door where Karie stood with a first aid kit and a water bottle.
Max shook his head, starting on how they were all being dramatic, it was an accident, yada, yada.
Karie cut him off, waltzing over with the supplies, trying to pretend he hand't just lost his mind.
"Nah, just checking. Fuckin freaked me out back there, man." Karie shrugged. His front crumbled before them as he handed the box over and Max flinched at the motion.
"Sh..thanks. Thanks, man." He mumbled, facing away from them as he sat up. JJ shook his head, anger building. By the look on Kyle's face, he'd been there for a while.
"I-..look, enough of this shit, alright? I fucked up, I get it-
"No, I don't think you do." Kyle snapped. "You called Max a fag, beat him up, and made him have a literal seizure...and you think you can just say your sorry?"
"I did not call him a-.."
"You seriously called him a fag?" JJ almost laughed at the absurdity of it. "If he's a fag, what does that make me?" Karie's eyes widened at his words, as if the thought was unthinkable.
"I w- I would never call you that J, ever! Look, I was mad, that's it. It just came out-
"DaKarie, enough of the excuses!" JJ smacked at his glasses, groaning. Kyle gestured to Max's face, the purple sinking into his skin. "Fucking look at him,"
"Guys!" Max raised his voice, causing them to go silent.
It seemed all the arguing was getting to his head because he was rubbing at it again.
Karie was preparing to step up but hesitated.
He reached to place the water bottle on the stand next to Max.
"Its fine. Okay?" He looked to Kyle and JJ, eyes firm but pleading. He wanted them to drop it.
They eyed eachother. Of course they didn't want to but the arguing only seemed to be stressing the man out. And they all knew what happened then..
JJ nodded, pushing up his glasses. Kyle shook his head but said nothing, staring at the wall. Max sighed, looking satisfied.
"Hey," Max looked to Karie then, gripping his arm softly. Trying his damnedest to show his sincerity.
"We're fine, man. Really." DaKarie's jaw clenched, he couldn't meet the mans eyes.
"I..."
His head shook. He grimaced, pulling away.
"Just get fixed up man, need a breather.."
With that he was gone and out the room.
Max's arm was still extended from where it had been holding DaKarie. He dropped it slowly, letting it come to rest on his knee.
.."Really was a mistake." Kyle mumbled.
They drifted in silence for a bit before he picked up the first aid kit and began pulling out bandages. JJ wanted to argue but found himself blanking on how. Maybe he's right.
You know what they say. If something seems too good to be true..it usually is.