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Bradley stormed into his room and threw the door back to its original shut position with a loud slam. He was so tired of the way everyone stared at him since the X-Games. He had barely left his room that the gammas so kindly spared him. He only ever left for class.
He jumped onto his bed and just lay there for a while. He often took naps to mask his hunger, he'd rather starve than go outside of his room to eat. After a while he woke up to a loud thumping noise and music. There was a party going on downstairs, he sure as hell wasn't going to leave his room now. He got out of his old clothes and changed into a random black t-shirt with red plaid pajama pants. He checked the time, 11:32 pm.
He couldn't fall back asleep now and he was getting a little more hungry. To distract himself he started to tidy up his room. His room was never particularly messy so the cleaning went by fast and now he needed something else to distract himself. He noticed small box on his desk and picked it up. He had forgotten he had bought new razors because his old ones were getting dull. Tank had seen them before and was going to take them away but Bradley had made up some lie about him actually needing new razors for his razor blade. He had left him alone after that.
It had been a month since Bradley last relapsed and he knew he had promised Tank he would stop but what would Tank care now? Bradley had left him for dead. He deserved this.
He opened the box and got out one of the small double sided razors, and unwrapped it. He looked at the shiny thing for a while before sighing and holding it up to his arm. He hissed as he swiped harshly. He sat down on the wooden floor, not wanting to stain his bed sheets. He leaned against the bed frame and just kept repeating that motion in different spots, sometimes going over the same spot, he didn't look and he didn't want to.
After a while the pain got to be too much. He threw the razor across the room and sighed when he saw it go under the door, he'd grab it later. He glanced at his arm and felt sick. There were so many wide gashes spewing blood, and some were even too big to be filled all the way with blood so he could see his own fat inside him. He felt like throwing up so he just looked away. He could feel the left side of his shirt and pants getting wet with blood and he'd definitely have to mop after this. Maybe after a quick nap. The loud music downstairs began fading in and out. Black spots were dancing around in his vision. Bradley slumped against the floor and he could feel tears roll down his face. It hurts a lot.
***
Tank had invited Max to a party at the Gamma Mu Mu frat house and who was Max to say no? Max had enjoyed himself and he was just in the corner now drinking some punch that definitely had some vodka in it. Bobby and P.J. had left for the dorms a few minutes ago and other people were streaming out now. He checked the time on his watch, 12:27 am. He set his drink down and approached Tank, "Hey man, the house is a mess, is there anything I can do to help clean?" Tank was holding a plastic bag and putting trash in it, "It's fine, baby, but could you grab some protein bars from the pantry and slide them under Bradley's door? Not sure he's eaten."
Max groaned, "Sure man, whatever." He grabbed the protein bars and walked up the stairs. He knew where Brad's room was because he once followed Tank when he was doing it.
The light in Brad's room was still on but he didn't care. He just slid three protein bars under the door and was getting ready to walk back downstairs when he noticed something on the floor. He picked it up, and it was a razor. Max squinted and noticed some red stains along the blade, "Brad? Is this yours?" He knocked lightly before opening the door. Max would've never guessed the what he'd find behind those doors.
"OH SHIT!" Max yelled, and immediately rushed to Brad, who was on the floor in a pool of blood. He propped him up against the bed, not caring if he got a little bloody in the process. "Brad? Brad? Please open your eyes..." Brad squinted slightly, "...Max...?" Max breathed a sigh of relief before running out, "Stay right there!" he yelled.
Max ran down the stairs, and tripped down the last four. "Max, you okay baby?" Tank had heard him stomping down the stairs and came to see what happened. "Yeah I'm fine, I need your med kit. now." Tank immediately ran to the kitchen and grabbed the box before running past Max. Max wasn't just going to wait around at the bottom of the stairs so he followed Tank quickly.
***
Bradley was about to pass out when he heard someone say his name, they had opened the door and ran into his room. They made him sit up and he heard them yelling something, he squinted his eyes open and saw that dumb Goof and his pretty little piercings he hated so much. "...Max...?" was all he could bring himself to say. Max left immediately after, making Bradley a little sad, he must've been grossed out.
Bradley was about to space out again when he heard footsteps again. Who was it now?
***
Bradley woke up and was hit with a pounding headache, Maybe that's what he gets for not eating in a while. He was on his bed and he could feel tight bandages wrapped around his left arm, when did that happen?
Bradley felt something shift against his side and he immediately froze up and turned to look. Max Goof was in his bed, cuddling him. he shoved Max off in surprise.
"Hey man, what the hell?" Max groaned from the floor, "Wait no, oh shit, are you okay?" Max had stood up and was now at Bradley's side with a look of concern.
"Why were you in my bed?" Bradley hissed out the question, a little bitter about having Max see him at his most vulnerable.
Max rubbed the back of his neck, "Well Tank asked me to stay with you in case you bled through the bandages and I must've fallen asleep." He answered nonchalantly, "Now. Are you okay?" Max repeated.
"Yes freshman, now leave," Bradley was in no mode, he was turning pink at the thought of Max watching him and falling asleep next to him.
"No, I don't think I will," Max quipped and sat back on the bed stubbornly.
Bradley glared at him and shoved him off the bed, "Fine! But you aren't allowed on the bed."
Max glared back and just sat against the bed frame just as Bradley had done last night. Bradley laid back down and watched Max on his phone for a while. He felt guilty after a while. Max had taken care of him and he was shoving him away. "...You can come back on the bed. If you'd still like too." Bradley blushed and adverted his gaze.
Max instantly took him up on that offer and jumped onto the bed. Bradley scooched away to give them some distance but Max looked at him funny, "Oh don't be like that." Max lightly pushed Bradley head into his chest and began playing with his hair. Bradley couldn't deny that it felt nice, "Are you drunk, Max?"
"Hm, no." He responded, getting his phone out of his pocket with his free hand.
"Then why are you doing this?"
"I guess I just want to. Oh awesome, Tank just texted that he is going to bring us breakfast. He also wanted me to tell you that you guys are going to have a talk later."
Bradley felt his heart drop at that. He'd forgotten all about Tank. He just buried his head deeper into Max's chest.
Max chuckled a little at that and then continued petting Bradley's hair, "Seriously Brad, are you alright?"
Bradley mumbled something that Max could barely decipher as a "Don't call me Brad".
Max sighed, "I know we've had our differences, but next time you can come to me. I won't mind."
Bradley froze for a second and before he could respond, Tank came into the room, "I got you guy breakf- OH, am I interrupting something?"
Bradley shot up out of his position, "Not at all." Max just shook his head before standing up.
"I should leave you guys alone, so you can talk." Bradley frowned and adverted his gaze. Tank just nodded and handed him some breakfast from out of his bag.
Before Max fully shut the door, he made the call-me signal to Brad then he was gone. Max relished the bright red face of Bradley as he ate some pancakes on the way to the dorm.