Voice Message for Dorian

Who: Aiden and Dorian
When: Late Afternoon
Where: Voicemail

"Dorian, it's me. Calling to check in on you, and to see if you found Caleb. Give me a call, okay?"

~*~*~*~

Dorian looked down at his phone, staring at the missed call notification before deciding to check his messages. He knew Aiden was trying to be a good friend, but he wasn't sure what to say to him. The last time he'd seen him, Dorian thought Aiden had made it pretty clear he didn't want to hear about his issues. That would have included the panic surrounding Caleb, but Dorian still felt obligated to return the call. After listening to the message, Dorian hit the call button and waited for Aiden to pick up.

Aiden set down his drink and grabbed his phone as it buzzed against his hip and flipped it open, immediately recognizing the number.

"Hey, did you find him?" Aiden asked, without greeting.

"The hospital called earlier today. He's in ICU," Dorian said, then hesitated before continuing on. "They're moving him to the psyche ward once he's healed enough to be moved." While the first part spoke strongly to Caleb's physical health, the later part would give Aiden a better idea of how things were actually going. Dorian wasn't doing so hot himself, as he'd started drinking almost soon as he got home.

"The psych ward," Aiden repeated slowly, computing that through his mind. Which meant Caleb had probably tried to commit suicide. "Fuck, Dorian." He suddenly understood the meaning of crisis when it came to the Lockwoods. "How're you doing? Do you need me to do anything?" Because he felt he should. Given his own situation, had it been his sister in the ICU, Aiden knew he wouldn't be thinking much of anything other than trying to maintain his sanity.

Fuck. Yes, fuck about covers it. "Currently attempting to drink myself to death, but that's about it," Dorian said, taking another swig of beer. "Don't worry. I'm failing miserably." He wasn't sure if there was anything Aiden could do. Hell, he wasn't sure if there was anything he could do. What was he supposed to do at this point? Nothing he did would make any difference, but he'd sober up tomorrow, in time to visit Caleb again.

Aiden could relate to the need to drink one's self to death over sibling concern. Aiden rarely ever got falling over drunk. His sister usually was the one who pushed him to it. He couldn't really imagine what Dorian was thinking - with his younger brother in the ICU. The psych ward waiting...damn.

"You want some company?" Aiden offered. There was nothing more depressing than drinking yourself into a coma alone.

Dorian took a deep breath. Aiden was offering, which he wouldn't do if he really didn't want to be there. Dorian was pretty sure of that. So the question was, did he want company? Maybe it would prove to be a distraction. If that was the case, the answer was yes.

"Sure," Dorian said, pulling himself up to a less reclined position. "What are you thinking?" It would be good to get out of his house. Dorian just didn't need to drive.

Aiden was somewhat relieved because he knew it would probably do Dorian good to get out for a bit, and Aiden needed some of that relief himself. A drink sounded damn good.

And he was already digging for his keys with his free hand. Shannon was safely tucked away in her hotel room, and he was finished picking up the things he thought she might need for the next couple days. They were in bags in his back seat and he could take them to her whenever his time with Dorian ended. "You wanna keep up with that drinking theme, we can find ourselves a couple of empty chairs at a bar somewhere. You prefer something else? You got it. Whatever you want, man."

"Drinkin's good," Dorian said, not quite ready to stop that entirely. He knew there was no amount of alcohol that would make him feel better, but that didn't mean he wasn't willing to give it a try. Caleb was in the fucking ICU and his parents didn't give a shit; it seemed well within his right to drink himself into a stupor.

"Do you mind pickin' me up? I'm not quite in the mood to drive." Mood didn't really have anything to do with it, but that hardly mattered. Dorian didn't need to be behind the wheel and getting out sounded good.

"I'll be there in a sec," Aiden told him before hanging up his phone and starting his car. He was at Dorian's house within minutes, wondering if he should get out of the car and go up, or just honk. They'd be leaving anyway, so he gave a short push of the horn and lit up a cigarette, leaving his pack out because he had a feeling Dorian would want, or need, one.