When Oliver woke up, his whole body felt sluggish and weak, and the moment he moved, his head trobbed and it felt like someone was using it as an anvil. His stomach also suddenly protested and forced him to roll over on his side, in search of somewhere to puke. A bucket suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and he grabbed it and held onto it desperately, as he emptied his stomach for content. Someone was rubbing his back lightly, soothingly, which felt nice as Oliver spit into the bucket, wishing he could cleanse his mouth.

“There is water right next to you” someone said, and it took a few seconds for Oliver to register who it was. When Oliver looked to his side, Casper was looking back with a worried expression. Oliver frowned but before he could say anything, his stomach decided it wasn’t finished and Oliver dry heaved into the bucket.

“Fuck,” he cursed, spitting into the bucket, before he placed it on the ground and laying back. Casper handed him the glass of water and Oliver took it reluctantly, before taking a sip and cleansed his mouth then spit it out in the bucket, before emptying the rest of the water, as he could feel his body being dehydrated.

“How are you feeling?” Casper asked, moving slightly away from Oliver to give them some space.

“Like shit,” he glared at Casper, as in 'what do you think?'. “Where am I?” Oliver asked, barely having enough energy to feel angry at being near Casper, as he looked around, seeing that he wasn’t in a bedroom. He could guess it had to be Caspers, since it was quite neat compared to his own bedroom with white walls, a huge white closet and light grey dresser. He didn't have any clothes or trash lying around, and he even had some plants.

“My place. I found you outside the club, getting dragged off by some dudes,” Casper explained which prompted a raised eyebrow from Oliver.

“Dragged off?” Oliver repeated confused, “what do you mean ‘dragged off’?” He asked, as his memories came up blank. Casper shrugged and leaned back on his hands.

“I had a feeling they wanted to do something bad to you, when I saw them walk towards your table, and then i saw them take you outside, all of them with a strange hungry smile,” he said, as he looked at Oliver, but Oliver wasn’t looking at Caspers face. He was more interested in the bruises on Caspers hands, bruises clearly only there if Casper had been fighting.

“What happened?” Oliver asked, gesturing towards Caspers hands.

He lifted one of them up and looked at them. “Someone had to save you,” Casper said and smirked, as he looked at Oliver. Oliver frowned at Casper in disbelief before he noticed the bruise on his face, which meant he had taken a punch.

“And why would you do that?” he asked as he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Casper shrugged and got up, his sweatpants hanging surprisingly low, teasingly without revealing anything, and Oliver had to pull his eyes away.

“Just because you are still pissed at me, doesn’t mean that I feel the same,” he said and took Oliver's glass. “I’m going to get you more water and some painkillers. Anything you want for breakfast? That is, if you can even eat anything,” Casper asked and looked at Oliver. He looked back confused and slightly surprised, though he tried to hide it as he shrugged. He wasn’t sure what kind of expression he was having, but it made Casper smile just for a second before he left.

“I’m going to make some bacon, toast and scrambled eggs,” Casper said slightly yelling from the room next door. 

Casper came back shortly after, with a bigger glass of water and a few painkillers, before he went out to the kitchen and Oliver could hear him rummaging through his kitchen.

Both of them sat in silence as they ate their breakfast. Casper was looking at his phone while Oliver was focusing on his food, trying not to look at Casper, but for some reason he couldn’t help it. It’s been a long time since he had seen him properly up close, and he had grown much bigger and stronger than Oliver. He guessed it was because of his genes, then again Casper always had a thing for sports, something that Oliver never enjoyed. Who likes to get all sweaty? Well, unless it was for skating and sex, then Oliver had no problems, but playing team sports, going to competitions and waste so much time training, instead of just playing games and relax, that was something he couldn’t get.

Oliver didn’t feel like eating much, his stomach was still giving him trouble, but the pain killers were helping, even though, because of his misuse of painkillers, it would take more to actually help completely, not that he was going to ask Casper for more. It wasn't like he wanted to hide, how many pills Oliver normally took from Casper, but he already hated that he was now in debt with Casper ‘saving’ him. 

Oliver didn't know if he really should trust Casper, with the whole story of strangers dragging him away, but he couldn't remember anything, other then him saying goodbye to Zach, while he was pretty drunk, but not totally wasted, then him having a drink he didn’t remember ordering. Everything after that his memories just goes blank, which told him someone probably either slipped something into his drink, or its was one hell of a drink, and by what Casper said, the former were probably the answer.

“You want to take a shower?” Casper asked as he took the plates after Oliver managed to finish what little food he had. Oliver frowned and leaned over the table, crossing his arms.

“No thank you, I'd rather just get home,” he said and Casper shrugged.

“Suit yourself,” he said as he went to clean the plates. Oliver watched him, his mind far away as he tried to remember the night before, but he kept coming up empty. Had he really been drugged? It wouldn’t surprise him, but the image of being dragged off by a group of guys, sent chills down his spine. Who knows where he could have been by now, or what would have happened to him, if Casper really hadn’t saved him. It wasn’t like Oliver wanted to end up raped or worse, dead, but he was known for not thinking about the consequences of his action, before it would be too late. He knew it could be a risk, going out and drinking, especially because he had a tendency to go overboard drinking, but it was still the first time he had gotten drugged. 

Oliver couldn’t help but feel grateful that someone had stepped up and helped him. Had he not been there, then Oliver would have been… No, he couldn’t continue that thought.

Oliver looked at Casper then burried his face in his arms. “Thanks…” Oliver mumbled while half hiding his face in his arms, hoping Casper wouldn’t hear it, but by the sound, or more, the absence of sound, as Casper stopped doing the dishes, he knew Casper had heard it. Though Casper never said anything back and he continued washing the dishes, like he knew that Oliver would get defensive if he had said anything. 

When Casper was done, he went back to Oliver and stood next to the dining table. “Let me drive you home,” he said. Oliver looked up Casper, his chin resting on his crossed arms, wanting to tell him off, that he didn’t need anyone to drive him home, but honestly, he wasn’t feeling like going home by himself. It has been a while since he had felt this vulnerable and the last time it was in someone’s bed, with someone on top of him, holding him down forcefully. No matter how much he disliked Casper, he was grateful for him being there, when Oliver couldn’t defend himself. 

Oliver sighed and got up, wincing as his head suddenly reminded him it still wasn’t ok. 

“Does your head still hurt?” Casper asked, sounding slightly worried. 

“Yeah, well I’m used to stronger stuff,” Oliver said casually, with a shrug as he went back to the bedroom to look for his phone. 

“Stronger stuff? You mean those white pills I've seen you take?” Casper crossed his arm, leaning up against the doorframe to the bedroom, watching Oliver as he searched for his phone, finding it on the bed stand. 

“Yeah, but drugs aren’t easy to come by, so I use whatever else I can get my hands on, and painkillers are easier,” Oliver looked at his phone. One missed message from Jake, two from Zack and one from his dad. 

Oliver decided to read Jake’s message, seeing him simply asking where he was, since he hadn’t come home. Then he checked his dads message, telling him he was going to work until late, so would only be him and Jake, then something about no booze, but Oliver didn’t even care to finish reading the rest of the message, and just ignored it, as he went to read Zack’s message. 

Zack asked if he was awake, then that he was by the lake if he ever woke up. Oliver, not feeling up to it, replied maybe later, before putting his phone in his pocket and looked at Casper, who had been staring back at him with a frown.

“What?” Oliver frowned too, slightly annoyed.

“So you are doing drugs?” Casper asked, as he wanted confirmation on what Oliver had said, but there was something almost judgmental with the way he was looking at him. Oliver furrowed his brow, as he tried to understand what it had to do with Casper. 

“What? Are you going to tell me it’s bad? Well, take a number and get in line,” he growled and stepped closer to Casper. “If you think you can just waltz into my life and tell me what I can and can’t do, then you might as well fuck off,” Oliver jabbed a finger against Caspers chest, “I don’t need your help.” 

Casper looked back into Oliver’s eyes, there was something fierce going on, that Oliver had no clue what meant, but he didn’t care. He was pissed off and all he wanted was to go home and sleep.

"Fine," Casper replied, almost sounding disappointed. “Let me at least drive you home,” Casper said and stepped back but Oliver flipped him off and stepped past him. 

“Forget it. I'd rather walk home then drive with you,” he said, almost venomously, before he headed towards the front door, at least that’s what he assumed it was with the shoes and jacket hanging next to it. When got to the door, he saw his own jacket and shoes, and he quickly put it on and, as he was about to open the door, he glanced back as he heard Casper getting close to him.

“Wait, just let me…”  Casper started but Oliver ignored him as he opened the door and cut him off.

“Thanks for the help and the food, I will pay you back for it” he said then left the apartment.