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There is a drunk sitting at the bar. This is his fourth bar tonight, but it’s fine because he knows how to play sober. He had done so for so long that he can’t remember before it. Armand watches the man raise the glass bottle to his lips, gulping the liquid before bashing the bottle back down on the counter. If he were stronger, the bottle would have broken.
Armand walks through the bar, watching him intensely until he’s so close all he has to do is raise his hand to touch him. He slips onto the stool next to him and takes a slow, deep breath. He allows his intentions to fall into his voice, deciding that for a moment, he could remember what once was.
“Hello, Daniel,”
Daniel blinks. His eyes appear more focused. He turns to Armand, and he glares.
“You son of a bitch,”
Armand sighs. This was not unexpected.
“Daniel,” Armand said softly.
“No,” Daniel snaps. “No, I’m talking. You’re shutting the fuck up, got it?”
Armand nods and listens.
“How dare you? You send me away and now you show up like it’s fine because, what, I’m available now? Are you bored again? What?” Daniel snatches up his drink again and downs the last of the liquid. He slams the bottle down again and turns back to Armand, pointing his finger in his face and continuing to tell him off. “You told me, you told me that this,” He gestures between the two of them. “Was it. You and I were it. Then you toss me out and take my memories away? Fuck you, Armand,”
Armand watches Daniel run his hand down his face, glaring to the side, before shaking his head and letting out a bitter laugh.
“Jesus Christ,” He said. “Fuck me, this is a new level of pathetic,”
Armand places his hand on the back of Daniel’s neck. He squeezes and runs his thumb up and down over the top of his spine. He wants to lean forward and kiss him, force away that sad, self-pitying smile, and replace it with something beautiful.
“Will you get to see your daughters?” Armand asks.
“Nope,” Daniel replies, his voice hoarse and quiet. “Not until I can prove myself as a responsible guardian. Then I get supervised visits,”
“What happened, darling?” Armand whispers, leaning closer to Daniel and waiting for him to explain.
“Same thing as before,” Daniel shrugs. “Did fine for a while then I drank, and then I did drugs, and then I was useless,” He said. “The last straw was when I forgot to pick up the girls. They walked home by themselves at night and sat outside the house because I was passed out on the couch. When she came home, she kicked me out,”
“Oh, Daniel,” Armand ran his hand between Daniel’s shoulder blades.
Daniel shook his head.
“Can’t even blame her,” He said, laughing bitterly. “I did this to myself. Fuck, I’m so stupid,”
“You are not stupid,” Armand insisted, leaning closer. “You need help, and you’ll get it,”
Daniel frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Armand shifted. He knew this would not end well, but it was necessary. After all, Daniel wanted to see his children again. This was the only way.
“Darling,” Armand said, tracing the back of his knuckles over Daniel’s cheek, tracing the pink flush that stained his cheeks. “I’ve contacted a local rehabilitation centre. They’re expecting you by the morning,”
“What?” Daniel said, his voice breaking as tears filled his eyes. “No, no, I can’t. I can’t do this again. I can’t go through it again, please, Armand, please,”
“You can, my love,” Armand said, taking hold of Daniel’s face and looking into his eyes. He hated to see him cry. He hated to hurt him. But this was what needed to happen. “You can do this, and you will. They are the best I could find, and they will help you, and then you will be able to be with your daughters again,”
“But I –,”
“Shh,” Armand shushed him as he pulled Daniel closer, holding him by the back of the neck, and resting their foreheads together. He said nothing else. He simply breathed along with Daniel, unconsciously guiding the man out of his panic through example, despite the action being unnecessary. He played with the curls at the base of Daniel’s neck, letting the soft strands move between his fingers.
“I’m scared,” Daniel admitted, his voice filled with shame.
“I know, love,” Armand said. He brushed his lips over Daniel’s softly, letting them linger for just a second, before pulling away. “But it’s time.”