Substance Assumptions

"And I- hey, are you even listening?" Oli was jogged out of his thoughts and nearly dropped the phone as Jordan, his best friend, realised that he'd drifted out of their conversation.

"Jord, sorry mate, I just remembered...I need to go return a shirt. Bye." He hung up as Jordan started talking again. He'd made his mind up. He'd been trying to decide for the past week and a half wether or not he should go back to the hospital and see John. He wanted to, desperately, there was no doubt about that. The doctor had an air of mysteriousness underneath his intelligence and kindness, and Oli was intrigued past all reason. However, he wasn't sure he was prepared to utterly humiliate himself, or face the painful rejection that he was sure to experience after expressing his interest in the other man. He wasn't even sure that John was gay.

After the third time Oli left his house, he decided not to turn back and hide for another few minutes like he'd done before, and started walking as confidently to the hospital as his nerves would allow him.

He arrived at the hospital and was grateful for the people with medical knowledge as he felt he could faint at any moment. His heart was in his mouth as he waited for the receptionist to hang up the phone. She did after several minutes and looked up, smiling, a hint of recognition in her eyes.
"Hello, how can I help you today?"

"Hi, sorry, I just wanted to know if Doctor...umm...if John was around? I have something of his that I wanted to return and I-"

"Bye Mand- oh! Oh fuck-" Oli spun round and John himself was standing there, in the process of trying to wipe coffee he'd just spilt down himself off of him. Oli fought off a smile and held the cup for him.

"Let me take that. I guess my timing is really good." John looked at him questioningly, clearly annoyed and embarrassed.

"How's that?"

"Just came to give this back to you." He pulled the shirt out of the bag and laughed as John's face creased into a wide smile and he laughed loudly.

"Oh god. I guess you're right." Oli walked with him to the lockers again.

"So how have you been?" John asked as they went in, nodding his thanks as Oli pushed open the door ahead of him.

"Good thank you. Haven't been to the club once."

"Glad to hear it." They both chuckled gently and Oli leant against a row of lockers as John started unbuttoning his shirt.

"How about you? Still overworking yourself ridiculously?"

"Always." He said slowly with a gentle smile. Oli looked away, but glanced back at John's vest-covered body as he took off his wet shirt, enjoying the sight of the taught muscles he encountered there.

"Dammit." John said as he realised his best was wet too and peeled it off, making Oli's mouth practically water as he couldn't help but watch.

"So umm, I take it I caught you at the end of your shift?"

"Oh god, do I look that shitty that you can tell?" Oli laughed and shook his head.

"You definitely don't look shitty...I, uh..." He shook his head in embarrassment as John laughed at him quietly.

"Oh god. Nope, no you don't. You do look a little tired though."

"I feel it. I'm glad to see you, though." Oli smiled happily.

"You too. I was worried I wouldn't catch you. You uh, wanna get a late dinner or something, y'know, if you're not too tired."

"Sounds great, but I've gotta go visit my dad in his nursing home tonight, it's way across town and I promised him I'd go tonight. I'm sorry, I can't really miss-"

"Hey, don't worry about it. Totally fine. Another time maybe?"

"Sounds great. Thanks." They walked out of the hospital together.

"So your dad's in a nursing home? That sucks."

"Yeah. Mum died a while back, dad just gave in to old age, he asked to go into one. He's happier there. He's starting to get dementia though, sometimes he doesn't recognise me anymore. That's not easy. He's so smart, so clever, that man is the most intelligent person I've ever met and yet, sometimes when I walk in a room he thinks I'm the janitor...Sorry, don't know why I'm telling you all this-"

"No, please, it's fine. It's good, I like listening." John smiled gently.

"I'm sorry though. My nan had Alzheimer's. I know it's difficult." John nodded and they came to a stop in the car park.

"So what did your dad do?"

"He was a pilot, then he decided to become an engineer."

"Wow." John smiled and nodded again.

"How about you? What about your family?"

"My family is a whole other world. They're just..." Oli trailed off bitterly and John frowned slightly.

"I'm sorry, I have to go. Maybe I'll get to hear the end of that sentence some time though?"

"Yeah."

"Here's my number, by the way." John held out a card.

"Call me sometime, maybe we could get a drink or something?"

"Awesome. Yeah, have fun with your dad."

"Thanks Oli. Bye." They just nodded and smiled with a slight wave before parting ways, Oli incredibly happy that he had decided to go to the hospital after all.

The next day, Oli was given a clip round the ear from Jordan about hanging up on him. He didn't say anything about John, not just yet, and chose to keep him to himself.

John was tired. And grateful that it was Saturday at last. He made the most of the lie-in he was offered, and did a little gardening before sitting out in the sun. His phone vibrated and he sighed when he realised it was his ex, Martin.
"Hey."

"Hi John. How are you?"

"I'm fine. You?"

"Good thanks, good. I'm just sitting at home, I can't stop thinking about you. It's been like that all week, John. I miss you so much." John closed his eyes and shook his head. He'd fallen for these speeches one too many times.

"You mean you just got bored and thought you'd ring me."

"No! John, baby, you're the only guy I've ever had real feelings for. I still love you, leaving you was the-"

"Biggest mistake you ever made, yeah, I remember from the last time you called."

"Baby...don't be like that. I'm so sorry, really. Look, even you can't deny how good we were together." John sighed.
"We could actually talk, about anything, it was so easy with you, John. I never had to pretend with you. And the sex! Man, I mean, that was just incredible." John laughed in spite of himself and nodded.

"That's true."

"Exactly! Look, I mean, sometimes relationships just don't work out. You know that, but it doesn't mean we can't still have a little fun, right?" John tried his best to harden his heart, but he couldn't resist him. He was too weak.

Two hours later, Martin had come over, fucked him, then said the wrong thing and been kicked out yet again. John had a shower, having been through this situation too many times to cry, and kicked himself mentally.
"Fuck....oh shit!" His phone started ringing an unknown number, and Oli immediately sprang to his head. He picked it up hurriedly.

"Hello?"

"Hiya, John? It's Oli." He swore silently, unable to believe that it was actually him.

"Oh hey! Hi, Oli, nice to hear from you."

"Glad to hear it," John laughed quietly.
"..I was just wondering if you wanted to meet up and get a coffee or something?"

"I..." John trailed off, he wanted nothing more than to just sit on the couch in his sweats and watch the comedy channel to cheer himself up, but at the same time, he couldn't reject Oli again, he couldn't postpone again or he'd just look like he wasn't interested. And he was. Very interested, but at the same time he told himself he shouldn't get involved with another unreliable guy. Well, that was unfair, he didn't know Oli was unreliable, but the kind of guy that got depressed so went to a club every night to fuck it out of his system with random strangers, wasn't the kind of person John thought he should be involved with, not after Martin.

"John?" Oli's voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he stuttered for a reply.

"I-I'm here. Sorry, having a rough day. That sounds great, Oli. Where'd you wanna meet?"

"I'll come pick you up."

"Oh-ok. I'm at 24 Seabright Avenue."

"Nice. Be there in twenty." He hung up and John sighed heavily before getting ready as quickly as possible, surprised at how nervous he was.

There was a knock at the door, he rushed to answer it and stood there shocked.

"Hi John."