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]

"I'll be here, I'll find a bench or something to crash on nearby," Max promised. "And look, I don't have much, but I can transfer you what I have," he said. He knew the man was risking a lot for him after all, whatever he'd been saving, he could save again.

He held out his hand to do a wireless transfer of credits.

[drfeelbad]

"Give it to me tomorrow," said House. "And do me a favor and calculate what you need to not be homeless. You can sleep on the couch in the waiting room if you want. The rest of the place will be locked up anyway."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Max nodded a little.

"Alright. ...And thanks," he added quietly. "I'm sorry if I derailed your night."

[drfeelbad]

"Yeah well, just think how much money I'll save," House said with a snort. Another night of whiskey and masturbation.

He finished up, and unplugged him. "You feeling okay now?"

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"Feel a bit... Like I know something is missing," Max admitted. "I do feel better though, the vision in my left eye isn't slightly pixelated anymore."

[drfeelbad]

"Good," said House. He waved his hand in front of Max's face. "Sorry you have to see the world properly now though, not always pretty. You hungry? I've got some protein bars."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Max nearly said no, but he was slowly learning to be more trusting and grateful for any help offered.

"I'd appreciate that, yes, thank you," he said, offering a tiny, but genuine smile.

[drfeelbad]

House tossed him his shirt back, and then picked up his cane and wandered over to a drawer where there was indeed a box of protein bars. He tossed him one of those, too. Then he went to another drawer, and pulled out a bottle of whiskey.

"You want?" he said as he pulled out a glass as well. This place was basically his office, too.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Max hadn't even bothered putting his shirt back on yet, instead focusing on opening the protein bar. He ate like a man who'd not eaten in a while, and wasn't sure when he would again. Little nibbles intended to fill him slowly and not upset his stomach.

He glanced up at the offer, then nodded slightly.

"Please," he replied.

Max didn't drink much, but he thought tonight it might distract him from the strange feeling of loss he felt while disconnected from his port. ...And the too crisp world of high definition vision.

[drfeelbad]

House glanced back at him, and then a couple of minutes later handed him a short glass with whiskey in it, and another protein bar, just in case.

Then he sat, and took a sip from the other glass. In all honesty he wasn't upset about how the evening had gone. He could have sex any time, but this was actually interesting.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Nodding his thanks, Max sipped the whiskey, pulling a bit of a face at the taste. There was no play at being sophisticated or anything like that. It was clear when Max drank, he drank sweet.

"You were going to share a table with Isaac," he said. "Isaac's funny. Tells jokes, I mean, not..."

He tapped the side of his head, implying funny could mean something very different.

[drfeelbad]

House snorted. "Yeah. Isaac can actually carry on a conversation." Which might not be the quality he most looked for when going there, but it certainly didn't hurt. Though if he wanted to fuck someone he could also play chess with, he'd go to one of the bot brothels.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"I've been thinking about leaving there," Max admitted, not sure why he was telling House that. "Dunno where I'd go though, not a lot of clubs like that left."

[drfeelbad]

"And do you... like that work?" House asked.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Max shrugged, finishing his protein bar. "It's what I've always done."

[drfeelbad]

"That's not an answer," House said. "Do you feel like you've chosen it at least?"

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Max shrugged, because he didn't have an answer to that. He'd not chosen this path for himself, but now he was on it, he didn't see a way off. Especially with his little side project.

[drfeelbad]

House wasn't going to push on that question. Maybe he was asking out of his own guilt. He'd been paying people for sex for a long time, and though he tried, and it was important to him, he wasn't an idiot, and was sure that not every person he'd been with was making a choice.

Though he did look at him for a second before saying, "Despite saving your life, I'm surprised you trust me given why I was there in the first place."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"Not all clients are bad, had some nice ones, but- I think I'm good, at judging when people mean harm. I have a lot of practice, and more often than not I'm right. You don't mean harm. ...Besides, I think I could out run you if I had to," Max said, sounding serious, but eventually offering a cheeky little smile.

[drfeelbad]

House snorted, amused. "Well that part you've got right."

He took another sip of the whiskey. "And you're also right, I don't mean you harm."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"Good," Max said simply, sipping his whisky again and pulling another face. He should have asked for water.

"You really don't mind me sleeping here?"

[drfeelbad]

"You're not going to rob me are you?" said House.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a thief," Max assured him. "If I was I wouldn't be homeless right now."

[drfeelbad]

"Most of what's here you'd have trouble unloading," House said. "Unlike the idiot doctors who can't diagnose shit without millions of pounds of high tech off the shelf gadgets,, I can actually use my brain."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"Does the how really matter? Saving a life is saving a life," Max replied, shrugging one shoulder. "I mean, it's a cool party trick, doing it without bots and stuff, but I dunno if I'd care how smart you were if you were digging a bullet out my skull. Would just wanna know you had steady hands."