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MAX COSTELLO

PAST
NOVEMBER 2019

Falling into a job straight after University is most definitely one of the proudest things I have ever done, especially when I thought I'd barely graduate and I'd never get a proper job. But after a month at the most amazing job, I finally restored faith in myself.

If I can retain a job whilst the employees still like me then I'm definitely doing something right at least and they have been loving my new ideas for the adaptation of my final year work. They've been helping to boost my talents by enhancing my original work into a professional piece.

Last Friday I went out with friends at work . Things got a little messy but I had such a good night. This Friday Oliver and I had agreed to see each other, it was only fair I'd take it in turns. But once Oliver felt comfortable I said he could pop by and meet my work friends, he just wasn't ready yet.

My feet climb up the stairs to Oliver's apartment, a bag of Mexican take out in one hand as I use the other to knock at his door loudly. I take a step back and watch as Jamie swings the door open.

"Hi," he says as he takes a glance down at the bag of food in my hand. "Oliver's not here."

"Oh," I blink once. "Where is he? We're meant to chill tonight."

"He's at uni still," Jamie's hand runs down the edge of the door. "He's been stressed this week about it, and I think he's in the studio."

I nod and take my phone out of my pocket. "Thanks Jamie," I say. "I'll head over there now."

"Cool, see you later." Jamie responds before shutting the door.

My eyes take one glance down at my phone as I scroll for Oliver's number before I take off down the street and towards the university. I raise my phone to my ear and listen to it ring out, then it cuts to voicemail.

I huff out a breath as I quickly punch out a text.

Max

You okay? Jamie said you're at uni still, I'm headed over there now

The walk towards campus wasn't far but I knew the food would be cold by the time I got there. Oliver still being at uni must mean that he's very busy and stressed. I knew how much he struggled with balancing his work life and his leisure.

He always put too much on his plate and never knew how to take a break or go to sleep. All he wanted to do was work and work until whatever he had started was perfect but we all know that sometimes it only makes it worse when we have no rest or breaks for energy.

Oliver truly was his worst enemy when it came to university work.

I knew where exactly he should be, the studio right at the back of the main painting department. It wasn't busy and that's why Oliver loved it so much, it was an older part of the building and all the edgy students liked to use the modern section.

In a way it felt like Oliver's space because it gave him peace and quiet.

Just as I worm my way through campus, people walking in groups and towards the SU bar considering it was a Friday night. I skip through the main painting block and through a wooden set of stairs down to the bottom floor.

I peek my eyes through the glass window, already spotting Oliver with his back to the door and a paintbrush in hand. My fingers press down on the door handle, the creases making an awful screeching sound but this doesn't even alert Oliver.

Slowly I walk towards him and push the door closed with my foot, Oliver tuts to himself and then swipes his hand across his forehead before rushing to paint again.

"Hey," I say quietly from behind him.

Oliver's head raises and he takes one glance back at me. My lips fall into a frown instantly, his eyes looked red like he'd been crying and then rubbing them aggressively.

"What's the matter?" I rush as I drop the bag of food beside him and draw up a chair.

He sucks in a breath and lets his brush fall to the table, his fingers raising to rub his eyes. "Just work," he mumbles. "I'm just getting stressed over it."

"Hey," I say softly as I reach up to grip his wrist. "Take a break, breathe, go for a walk. I bet you've been sat here all day and you haven't stopped to think about drinking water or stretching your legs."

Oliver looks down to the floor instantly because he knew I was right, so right. He doesn't treat himself properly whilst he's completing university work and he'll end up making himself sick.

"Oliver," I say loudly to get his attention. Eventually he looks up at me again and I take his hand that was speckled with paint. "What's got you so stressed?"

"Nothing feels like it's going right," he sighs and I take one glance up at the painting. "No," he says instantly, trying to cover the canvas. "Don't look at it."

I fight away his hands as I look up at the piece, his assignment was clearly for an abstract piece and Oliver is adamant he's only good at realism.

"I think it's beautiful," I comment as I look at the mix of blue and purple, the blending looked perfect.

Oliver shakes his head. "You're only saying that because you're my boyfriend." He grumbles out.

"No," my voice cuts over him. "I'm saying it because it's true, the blending is beautiful and the colours are vibrant, they've not been lost to the canvas."

He glances up at me before turning back to the painting, taking a moment to look over his own work. "I guess the blending is okay," he finally admits.

A small grin stretches across my lips as I snake my arm around his shoulder. "It's okay to acknowledge your own work Oliver, even if you don't think it's your best, you should still try to see what you think is good about it."

He bites down on his lip and nods before turning to me. "That sounds like a good idea actually," he breathes out slowly. "Better than focusing on what I think is bad."

"Exactly," I nod enthusiastically. "But you also need to take breaks. Have you eaten today?"

"I got a coffee and a croissant for breakfast," he says before leaning into the table.

I tilt my head forward and raise my eyebrow as Oliver glances over my face. "Really?"

He clenches his eyes shut. "I know it's not ideal but I've been busy, distracted."

"Too distracted," I say quickly. My hand leans backwards to grab the food I had ordered earlier. "Good thing I brought dinner to you."

Oliver looks down at the bag and his shoulders relax. "Oh fuck, I love you Max." He says before shuffling forward to steal a kiss from my lips.

"I love you too," I grin before I unbag the food. "Let's eat this and then pack away your stuff, enough art for the day, alright?"

"For the day," he nods as he eyes up the burritos I pull from the bag. "Thank you so much, you're the best."

I shrug with a confident smile. "Yeah I know."

PRESENT
OCTOBER 2021

It took me a couple of hours to get a same day loan, easier than anything I've done before. I barely looked at the interest rate because I needed it by Friday and I didn't care how much I'd be in debt, I just needed Oliver to be safe.

By Thursday I had rounded up ten thousand pounds whilst leaving myself less than one hundred pounds so I had money to travel to see Oliver when I could.

I had agreed to meet Jones and his gang at 10 o'clock Friday morning which gave me time to visit Oliver Thursday afternoon. I had been popping when I could, between bank visits and internet searches for loans.

When I got to the hospital they informed me that they had taken Oliver out of his induced coma. They said he was tired and to try and not bombard him with questions or physical touch, he needed the rest.

I had an hour before visiting times were over which made my heart ache, wanting to be with him desperately all the time but I had to remember that he would be coming home soon.

Oliver was no longer in the ICU and now in a ward on the other side of the hospital. When I walked in he still had thick bandages wrapped around his hands, the bruising on his face had slightly reduced but his eyes still looked swollen.

His eyes were tightly shut and his lip that held a small cut was slightly ajar. My feet take slow steps towards the chair next to his bed and take a seat. I raise my hand to grab his wrist and flick my finger across his skin.

My lips fall into a frown instantly as I glance down at his bandaged hands, I lower my head and place a delicate kiss against his fingers.

"Tomorrow all of this will be over," I whisper as I lower my head. "I promise this is going to end and we can get you out of here when you're well enough."

Oliver's eyes don't even twitch and I sigh. "I don't even know if you can hear me," I mumble as I continue to stroke his arm softly. "But you mean everything to me."

I bite down on my lip and glance up at Oliver's face once again, his eyes still firmly shut. "I'm just pleased to be here with you." I say gently. "I hate the thought of you being alone."

My back leans into the chair and I run a hand through my hair. "I'll be back for you tomorrow, okay? When everything is settled, when they've gone away forever. I will be here."

I take one glance at my phone before shoving it back into my pocket. My hand reaches forward to brush Oliver's cheek faintly, careful not to hurt his bruised face. "Let me tell you a story, just in case you're awake and listening." I say as I glance over his eyes and down to his septum piercing. "It might be shit but at least you can listen to something other than silence."

. . .

Friday rolled around quicker than I thought, Jones had ordered me to meet at a derelict area in the outskirts of town. I knew that he'd be bringing his gang along with him, anything to taunt me but I had his money and a deal was a deal.

I made sure I turned up five minutes before we agreed, the thought of being late and knowing they'd storm straight to the hospital Oliver was in and do God knows what to him. I didn't even want to think of that possibility.

Soon I heard footsteps behind me and Jones and his pose approached. I could barely look at Jones without wanting to swing my fist round his face, knowing full well what he did to Oliver was destroying me. So I sucked in a breath and kept my cool before I kicked off.

Jones instantly smirks at me, chewing gum between his teeth as he chews with his mouth open. "Well, well, well," he says deeply before throwing his arms over his chest.

The two guys behind him stare me down but I shake off their glances and keep my eyes on Jones. I didn't want him knowing they intimidated me. He would be cackling at the idea.

"Looky here," Jones shares an evil grin with me. "Little Max, it's so great to see you."

I narrow my eyes and shake my head. "I've got your money Jones," I say as I hold up the bag between my fingers.

He takes one glance down at my hand and nods, he walks towards me and I stay rooted to the spot. Once he grips onto the bag and unzips the top to take a quick look inside, he nods and glances up at me.

"Good boy," he grins, showing off a few gold capped teeth. "I expect every single pound in here, or else. Only took you two years. You think you can mess with us?"

"I don't want a fight, never did. I never meant to get involved in this shit, I barely got involved. I never took your money, you should have taken it up with Jeff. He's the real enemy here." I level my eyes with Jones.

He smirks at me. "Well Jeff took off, couldn't find him. You were the next best in line you see."

"It's all there, this is done now."

His shoulders shrug sharply. "I was really hoping I wouldn't have to come back to your little boyfriend for seconds, or give yourself a couple of black eyes." His friends being snicker at his words. "I don't like hurting people but sometimes I gotta do what I gotta do."

I drop my hands to my sides and ball them into fists. "You stay away from Oliver, this is settled now. You don't go anywhere near him ever again." I spit as I flick my eyes between his quickly.

Jones snorts and nods once. "You should get some self-defence on that boy, his crying and wailing still replays in my head." He says with a sickly smirk. "I could have snapped his neck in two, he barely put up a fight."

My stomach flips and I grit my teeth harshly, trying to contain my anger. He chuckles back at me and throws the bag to his friend behind.

"Let's go," Jones barks at his gang before he turns around. I could hear their laughter which irked me to the core. But I couldn't react, this was done and I had to think of Oliver.

I keep my eyes trained on the backs of their heads before they are out of view. My hands finally release from their tight hold and I exhale a short breath. The weight that had been heavy on my shoulders slowly evaporated from my body, my eyes close for a brief second. Finally I could accept that this was over, they had their money and they had no reason to come after him anymore.

No one would hurt my Oliver again.

. . .

Read up to chapter 45 on Patreon
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Ahhh Max is trying so hard to put this right, what did you guys think??

What do you think will happen when Oliver wakes up?

Seeing them both like this hurts my heart soooo much

I hope everyone is well! See you all on the next one, love Sav x

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