Cyberpunk AU start: Max

[drfeelbad]

House didn't visit Input on a regular basis exactly, but often enough that his face was known there. The men and women he'd spent time with he'd seen more than once, and when he arrived tonight and sat down at the bar, the bartender pushed him a Jack Daniels without him having to ask, and mentioned that they were quite busy tonight but he'd seen Isaac recently if he'd like to have a drink with him. "Yes, please tell him I'm here," House had said before taking a sip.

Though before he'd even managed to take a second drink, he heard someone shouting for a doctor.

He almost ignored it. Almost. But instead, he said to the bartender, "I'll be right back," and then slid off the stool, grabbed his cane, and headed in the direction of the shouts.

Comments

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Nearly all the 'hosts' at Input had issues with their tech, too many of them running older hardware to support illegal or questionable ports. Max included, though it had been some time since he'd suffered a full system crash.

The seizure was sudden and aggressive, sending the man crashing to the floor. Small spasms left him twisting and twitching, eyes rolled back as his system tried and failed to restore.

[drfeelbad]

It didn't take long for House to spot him. To the woman who was standing over him House muttered, "Did you mean to call for a doctor or tech support?"

But he still knelt down beside him, and knew just what to do regardless. It was interesting, this guy's set up, but in the short term House managed a hard reboot of his system and also pulled a syringe out of the bag he carried with him and gave him a shot in the arm that stopped the seizure.

"Hey," he said, and snapped his fingers in front of his face.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Max came around with a jolt, eyes going black before returning to normal. His system went into safe mode, but only for a moment. By the time he managed to sit up he was functioning correctly.

It took him a beat to register what had happened, and he seemed lost in thought for a moment before offering House his attention.

"Thank you," he said simply.

[drfeelbad]

"You need diagnostics," House said. "You had a seizure, and that was a band-aid." Though what he probably actually needed was some of those old-as-shit mods stripped out of him.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Diagnostics. Hospital. Absolutely not.

"I had a checkup recently at a clinic, I'm fine," Max insisted, offering a half-truth. "It was just a glitch."

It took a moment, but he managed to stand.

[drfeelbad]

House snorted. "That was not a glitch." He got to his feet as well.

He glanced over, and saw that Isaac had just sat down next to another man, who was getting him a drink.

"And my evening is shot so I might as well keep you from sparking out of your eyeballs in your sleep."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"I can't go to the hospital," Max said, blunt and to the point as he often was. "Even if I could, I can't pay right now."

He tilted his head, looking the man over- Though his gaze didn't linger long. Max wasn't good about making eye contact.

[drfeelbad]

"Good," said House. "I fucking hate hospitals. You work here?"

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Max looked surprised by that, and nodded.

"I'm a host," he explained. "I'm off tonight though, I just came in to collect my share of the tips from last night."

[drfeelbad]

House thought he looked familiar.

"Well here are your choices," he said. "You can get your tips and head home and then be forced to go to a hospital when someone on the train calls in your seizure, or you can come to my clinic and I can fix you up..." He waved a hand dismissively. "For whatever you made in tips last night." He didn't actually care about the money but he recognized that for most people "I'm curious" was not a good motivation for helping someone.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"I can't give you the money, I have a debit to repay. I can trade for my time, or..."

He paused and tugged up his shirt, revealing the old port that took carts and created fantasies from flesh.

"Outlawed, but I never removed it. ...I could let you try it."

[drfeelbad]

Well that was interesting.

"Look, I promise I won't demand anything that you're not willing to pay, okay?" he said. "We can work it out later."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Max looked doubtful, but nodded.

"Alright," he agreed, deciding to take the risk. His only other option was Hex, and he didn't want to pester him when he'd already been so generous.

[drfeelbad]

House nodded. "Go get your tips," he said. "I'll be right here."

Then he sighed and added, "Feel free to ask about me. Someone can reassure you I'm not a murderer or a cop."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"You don't read as a cop, and I'm not afraid of murderers," Max said as he headed off to collect his tips.

On his way back he paused by one of the guards, handing over nearly all of it, before returning to House.

"Are you far? He asked, glancing at the man's leg.

[drfeelbad]

"Not too far," House said. It was the reason he came here. He glanced at the guard to whom the guy had handed over his cash, but didn't say anything.

They passed by the bar on the way out, and Isaac was walking by. He stopped House. "I was looking for you but then you were gone," he said apologetically.

"It's fine," House assured him. "Another time." He nodded and headed off again.

House continued to the door. His clinic really wasn't far.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Max followed along, making a note of the path they took.

"You didn't give a name," he said after a moment. "I've seen you though, at Input."

[drfeelbad]

"House," he said, glancing at him. "You?" Because that's right, he was a person, not just a patient. Sometimes House forgot.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"Max," he said.

Just Max or Maxwell, he didn't have a last name anymore.

"You a medic, or a ripper?" he asked curiously.

[drfeelbad]

"I'm a doctor but I've learned the skills I've needed to learn," House said. "Used to work in hospitals. Don't anymore." He quirked a smile. "Lucky you."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"Why'd you leave?" Max asked. "Good money there. Real good if you're in the right area."

[drfeelbad]

"The system is fundamentally flawed at best and maliciously corrupt at worst," House said bluntly. "So similar reason you don't like hospitals, I'm guessing."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"No, not really, but I can appreciate the sentiment, and I do agree," Max shrugged. "I can't go to hospitals, because I'm not in the system. I'm a ghost."

And potentially wanted for murder, but he wasn't sure about that part.

[drfeelbad]

"... interesting," House said. That would require a bit of extra care, even in his systems. He tried not to break the law if he could help it - it just complicated things - but he still did when he needed to.

"What's your story anyway," he added. "Medically relevant, I mean. You've got some old hardware for someone who looks half my age."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"Started young," Max shrugged. "Younger than I should have. Some of it isn't original to my build, it just works better with the things I want to keep. The dream cart drive is the most important, people pay a lot for a human with one. I think there's something similar that the droids and the reps all use, but this is the last one they made for humans. I even learned to code for it, I make custom carts for customers at an additional charge."