Chapter Text
10th March
The cool air hit their face as they took a deep breath in, feeling a pleasant buzz from the alcohol as they looked down at the number written on the napkin. Perhaps it would look a little desperate to text so soon after getting his number, but fuck it, if they waited till they were sober they probably wouldn’t have the same courage. So they took out their phone and began to type.
Friday
23.47
T: hi :)
J: ummm hi?
T: it’s teddy
J: I think you might have the wrong number
T: hahaha no it’s the guy with the crazy blue hair don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already ?
J: Sorry definitely wrong number
Teddy stared down at their phone in disbelief, they were hurt, more than they thought they should be but decided to respond with humour as it was a typical default of theirs.
T: awww I knew my flirting was bad but I’ve never been given a wrong number before :((
J: yeah sorry mate the girl gave you a fake or wrong number
T: I was already having a shitty day
J: Well sorry but I need to be getting to sleep
J: hope your day gets better
11th March
Teddy had already made their way back into the bar, they sat down and ordered several shots. They weren’t planning on staying out too long initially but the rejection hurt more than they could have anticipated. They brought out their phone again and decided maybe they could still have some fun.
Saturday
00.02
T: Wait, it’s Friday night. Why are you in bed so early??
J: It’s Saturday now and still wrong number
T: no I meant to text you this time
T: why aren’t you out?
A small smile on their face, they were enjoying teasing this stranger as they could feel themselves getting a little more than tipsy. They looked down realising they’d been left on read for a while.
00.14
T: hellloooo?
J: omg pls go away
T: that’s not nice
J: well I should be sleeping and don’t feel particularly nice right now
T: you’re a bit cranky
J: Some random stranger is texting me at midnight and I have to be up at 5am.
J: Why on earth would I be cranky?
T: jeez do u want me to go away?
J: scroll up I literally said that
T: alright cranky pants
T: though in my defence
T: I’m having a fuck awful day and completely pissed
J: hardly a defence
T: fine whatever goodnight boring cranky stranger
Teddy put their phone in their bag heaving out a deep breath, they took the last of the shots and let themselves loose. They released all tension and worry of the day all thoughts gone only dancing on their mind, only feeling the beat and rhythm of the electro music pumping out of the speakers. Till they lost themselves in the fuzziness of a drunk mind.
Teddy heard a faint ding by their side as they frowned, taking longer than they would have liked to work out that it was in fact their phone. They looked down and saw the number they had been given earlier that night ping on the Home Screen. Remembering the conversation they had had earlier with a certain cranky stranger Teddy grinned as they unlocked the phone and began typing.
05:12
J: I hope you have a fucking awful hangover
T: awww I knew u wanted to talk to me ;)
J: Why are you awake??
T: haven’t gone to bed yet
T: big night out lol
J: you’re crazy
T: yup
T: why are u awake?
J: Work
T: what shitty job has u up at 5am on a weekend!??
J: none of your business
T: alright have fun at work cranky pants
12:52
J: Do you really have blue hair?
Bleary eyed Teddy awake with a start from a sudden rush of ice cold water, as they peered up they saw steely eyed flaming haired Vic looking fierce and angry.
“Good morning to you too” Ted said groaning attempting humour
“Try afternoon” came a clipped response
Sitting gingerly up Teddy glanced at the clock on the wall seeing the time displayed clearly.
“Shit” Teddy rubbed a hand over their face and through their hair. Then as if remembering something they turned to Vic who had already begun moving away.
“It’s a Saturday isn’t it?”
“Yes it is” came another short reply, Teddy had known Vic enough to know that they were in trouble. The problem was they didn't know why.
“So why do you sound mad at me?”
“Why do I sound mad? Hmmmm good question, really brilliant question what an inquisitive mind you have.” Teddy gave her a look
“Just tell me please”
“Why do I sound mad? Because I bloody am mad that’s why.” She snapped looked furious, eyes glaring at them
“now why am I mad your inquisitive mind may ask, well I’m mad because I knew you were going out for light drinking last night, which you shouldn’t even be doing you know that but regardless you said you’d be fucking back in three hours. I was here worried for six fucking hours thinking you could be fucking anywhere.”
She paused still furious, taking a deep breath to continue her rant “you didn’t text me even to say you were ok, then you roll up here fucking pissed out your mind at six fucking am you vomit on the carpet and pass out on the couch like a fucking teenager when you know you were meant to drop me at the train station at nine”
Still fuming she continued on “I had to go to my cousin’s house, which you knew I was nervous about, running on three fucking hours of sleep and eight shots of espresso and take an Uber which you are paying for by the way.”
Seeming to have calmed a bit she sank into the couch beside Teddy and said
“you promised you’d changed, you promised you wouldn’t push away any emotion by drinking” leaning her head on their shoulder she deflated and said “I fucking worry Ted, it’s not just the drinking after … after I thought ... I don’t know what I thought,” a short release of a breath could be heard but she wasn’t done yet
“I though perhaps maybe that you be more fucking considerate and tell me if you are ok.” She laughed humourlessly, “Or should I fucking dare to hope you would be more careful.”
Looking down of the red hair resting on their shoulder Teddy placed a kiss on top of her head mummering apologies.
“I am really sorry, I didn’t mean to I wasn’t thinking” as they wrapped their arms around her.
“Teds I don’t know what I’d do without you, I came so close last time” tears leaked from Vic’s eyes “I don’t know what I would do without you”
Tears escaped out from Teddy’s eyes as they remembered those same words being uttered under harsh fluorescent lighting, with the distinct smell of disinfectant. They squeezed their eyes shut tight, banishing the memories.
Teddy awoke to an empty house remembering Vic telling him to rest and giving him painkillers. They groaned stretching out their tight muscles from sleeping for so long on the sofa. Before standing up somewhat unsteadily they staggered over to the kitchen for a glass of water.
As they moved they noticed their jacket strewn messily across the floor by the sofa, once picked up the jacket revealed Teddy’s phone resting in the leather folds. It dropped to the floor and teddy picked it up looking at the screen.
12:52
J: Do you really have blue hair?