Black out (Shelly)

[Mason Doom]

((To be moved once I get Sheldon's house on the board.))

Mason had gotten home before Sheldon. It had been a long day. More like a long month. He was terrified for Sheldon still. And Sheldon was still going threw post stress from Oliver. Mason couldn't blame him, it had just taken a toll on him. He was emotionally and psychology drained. He threw his backpack down by the fireplace, intending to move it to were it belonged later.

Mason moved to the fridge, grabbing some food to eat and a bottle of wine. Ever since he had moved in with Sheldon he hadn't had a episode with the wine. But recently he had craved it. He found himself breaking out into a sweat at night when he thought about it. Tipping the bottle back he drank. Until he went back for more. Soon the fridge was cleared of booze and mason was on the living room floor. The world spun until it was nothing but blackness. He laid there for hours until Sheldon arrived home.

[Sheldon Hall]

He let out a deep, exhausted sigh. Ever since what had happened a while ago, Sheldon had been stressed. It was unlike him. He felt certain that the other aurors had noticed. He used to go to work every day, chipper and ready to tackle whatever work would throw at him. But lately he went with less enthusiasm. Though, he busied himself more and came home ever night tired. At least it kept his mind off what had happened. As he apparated home, he couldn't help but think about how badly he wanted to see Mason.

He apparated right to the door, stepping inside quickly. It had become something of a habit, locking and then checking and double checking the door after rushing inside. He wondered sometimes when that would stop, but he knew that it wouldn't until he faced the fear. And he wasn't ready for that yet. His eyes scanned the house, looking desperately for Mason. He finally found him. Passed out on the living room floor. The closer he got to the other, the stronger the smell of wine became. He felt certain that Mason had cleaned him out. He knelt down beside him, sighing, the worry already causing a line across his forehead. He gave Mason a good, hard nudge, "MASON!" he shouted. Well, if he didn't wake up, Sheldon would move him to the bed. It was the least he could do, wasn't it?

[Mason Doom]

Mason woke up with a startle when he felt the fabric of the bed. He blinked to the bright light and groaned. "Where am I?" He asked not knowing Sheldon was there. He ran his hands across his face trying to ease the hangover that was settled in. Didn't Jon tell him a way to get rid of them? He couldn't recall. He know that they had had a short conversation about it in the dorm long ago.

Mason finally saw Sheldon. The fear made his face drain of color. "When did you get home?" He asked half expecting Sheldon to burst into screams about needing therapy and how he's slowly killing himself. He hoped Sheldon would at least understand why he drank. It hadn't been a easy few months.

[Sheldon Hall]

Sheldon sighed as he sat on the edge of the bed. He hadn't expected Mason to wake so soon. He hadn't woken up when Sheldon had carried him to the room, so Sheldon expected him to be out for a good portion of the rest of the night. In a way, he'd quietly accepted that. That, however, didn't change the fact that he was disappointed. Angry? Maybe a little, but he wasn't sure he had the energy for anger. "The room," Sheldon replied simply, not looking at him yet. "You were passed out. In the living room. You've been drinking again, haven't you?"

He could feel Mason's eyes on him before he even turned to face him. He noticed how Mason went pale. He wondered what Mason expected. He himself wasn't even sure what to expect. An argument? Maybe. If Sheldon could pull up the energy for one. He cared about Mason, though. And he hated seeing him do this to himself. "A while ago," he replied simply.

[Mason Doom]

Mason hated it when he made Sheldon disappointed or angry. He truly cared for Sheldon and he didn't want anything bad to ever happen between them. Mason slowly sat up to prevent the world from spinning. But the world still spun and for that he held onto Sheldon for support. He didn't want to lie to Sheldon. "I did." He whispered. "I poured the last bottle down the drain though before passing out....I remember that..." He said for what it was wroth.

Mason let his heavy head rest on Sheldon's arm. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "Your probably really mad at me." He said not meeting the others gaze. He didn't want to argue. He knew if they did Sheldon would be right to want him to see someone about this. And what was his excuse for doing it? That his brother did it too so it must run in the family?

[Sheldon Hall]

Sheldon sighed. This was tough. It was tougher than anything he'd been through to date. But he knew, deep down, it was worth it. There was no question about that. He had no doubts. He looked away again as Mason sat up slowly, holding onto Sheldon for support. He was honest. At least he was honest. Sheldon sighed again as Mason continued to speak. "But you still drank the rest of them," he replied, "Did you clean the house out?" He himself wasn't sure how much alcohol there had even been in his house. He had collected bottles over the time he'd lived there. House warming presents, holiday gifts. He very rarely drank from them. He supposed Mason probably had some of his own, too.

"It's okay," Sheldon whispered back. He glanced at Mason at his next words, not replying for a moment. Finally he said, "No," but that didn't feel right so he added, "Maybe a little," after another moment. He just didn't understand it. No. That wasn't right. He understood alcoholism. But he merely understood it in the way a doctor who studied it but had never experienced it would. And he knew well there was a difference between experience and book knowledge.

OOC: Feels cut off. Meh. Hope it works.

[Mason Doom]

Mason flinched at Sheldon's words. He honestly didn't know how to answer Sheldon's question. It took him a moment to answer. "I don't think I did. I only drank what I found." But mason wasn't sure what he had found or even if it was all of it. He still was trying to settle into the apartment. But not even the apartment felt quite like home yet. He guessed nothing would compare to Germany.

Mason sighed looking down on at his hands. He wondered if Sheldon could read his face, see how miserable he was. "I guess I should have expected you to be." He said softly not making eye contact.

[Sheldon Hall]

Sheldon waited patiently for Mason's answer. He wasn't sure how he'd respond to it. He wasn't even sure how he should respond to it. He might have known at one point, but actually doing it was harder than he'd ever thought it would have been. It didn't help that he was under a lot of stress himself. Sheldon nodded at Mason's answer. He was quiet for a while before he spoke. He'd have to check later. See how much Mason really had drank. "And how much was that?" he asked, the last word coming out a bit harsher than he'd intended, "Or did you lose count?"

Sheldon himself sighed again. He just wanted the best for Mason. He found himself exasperated as he wondered if Mason could see that. He hoped that he could. He had no doubt in his mind that the other knew he cared. He just hoped he knew that he wasn't doing this to be a jerk. "Yeah," he said, "You probably should have. I hate seeing you do this to yourself."

[Mason Doom]

Mason couldn't stop the sob that came out after Sheldon's words. He turned his head away from the other, hand over his face not wanting Sheldon to see him. He somewhat wished Sheldon would leave. Mason could feel himself at his breaking point. Everything had become to much for him to handle. He had tried to be there for Sheldon but He needed help too. He was there when everything happened and everyone expected him to tough the teams out.

Mason took a deep tears before replying to Sheldon's next words. "It could be worse." He said knowing that that was true, and a bad excuse. Sheldon probably could tell it was a bad excuse. Mason wanted to point out Sheldon's flaws. But he knew that would only make things worse. "You can't always be perfect." He said hoping Sheldon would get the hint.

[Sheldon Hall]

Sheldon heard the sob. It made him feel bad for the moment. He knew everything was hard on Mason, too. He didn't want the other to think that he was on a pity trip or something. Of course, he didn't know whether Mason thought that or not, but he felt like he was making everyone think that he was. And he hated that. It was just hard for him. These things had been so simple before it happened, but now they weren't. He wanted the simplicity back again. He stood up, walking just a few feet before stopping.

He hadn't expected an answer, and he was not disappointed. Instead of an answer, Mason gave an excuse. And not a very good one. "How, pray tell, could it be worse?" he asked. Of course, he could imagine what the answer would be. But better than worse didn't always mean fine. "I don't expect you to be perfect. I never said I wanted you to be perfect. I just don't understand why you won't get help."

[Mason Doom]

Sheldon had moved them which shocked and scared Mason. He looked up at the other. He suddenly didn't want Sheldon to leave his side. He wanted things to go back to the way they were. Back to when Sheldon would hold him in arguments like these. But the arguments seemed to be getting worse. Mason notices that they both seemed to be pushing away more and more these days. And he hated it.

Mason took a moment before answering the question. He knew Sheldon would most likely already have come up with a answer. "I could be like Jacoby. Wasting away at work. Or even like Jon." He whispered. "That's not what I meant." He said sharply. "You...your perfect. You never pick up bad habits or have to have to get help Your everything I'm not." Mason gave a small sad chuckle before looking down again. "I wish I was like you. Being the perfect person. Never even drunk. Never touched drugs. You probably passed all your classes at the tip of your house too."

[Sheldon Hall]

Sheldon folded his arms loosely across his chest, gaze drifting across the room. He hated the arguing. He didn't want to argue with Mason. He was just so stressed out lately... He supposed he finally understood what other couples meant. He could feel Mason's gaze looking at him. Something Jacoby had said once crossed his mind. They say you can feel someone looking at you... even if you're not looking at them. He frowned, turning to face Mason. He didn't want to push away. He wanted to be there for Mason. No matter what. He just hoped Mason knew that.

"Jacoby doesn't seem to mind wasting away," Sheldon said, perhaps a bit too bitterly. He narrowed his eyes at the mention of Jon. He didn't know Jon that well. Certainly not as well as Mason. So, he didn't have the slightest clue what he meant. "Maybe it could be worse," he admitted, "But that doesn't make this... okay," he said the last word a bit softly. The disappointment clear in its tone. He sighed. "Is that really what you think? That I'm... perfect? So, I've never touched drugs. Or alcohol. And I passed with O's. That doesn't make me perfect. Besides, you don't have to be perfect to admit when you need help."

[Mason Doom]

"If Jacoby doesn't mind wasting away then why can't I?" He asked immedently regretting asking the question. Mason listened to Sheldon and sighed. "See you are perfect. You don't have a flawless bone in your body. You never can do wrong. Your always right." He said shacking his head. "I don't need help. Just like you never needed help either." He said knowing both where lies.

Mason held his head. His hangover seemed to just be getting worse. Mason wondered if he could make himself pass out again maybe he would wake up and none of this would be happening.

[Sheldon Hall]

"Because Jacoby is wasting his life on work, not on booze," Sheldon said. As soon as he said the words, he regretted them. Implying that one was worse than the other was stupid. Deep down, he knew that. Both could have long term effects on both mental and physical health. Some days, he saw Jacoby come into work so tired that he reached for his wand instead of his quill, or vice versa. He wasn't aware until his third cup of coffee, another habit that was no better or worse than drinking.

"I am NOT perfect," Sheldon protested. He didn't see why anyone would assume that he was. He made mistakes just like everyone else. As his mother would often say, We all put our pants on one leg at a time. "Nor am I always right. And I did need help. I've been seeing a therapist since it happened," Well, at least he admitted it. Not that it was a secret. "And if you would just admit that you need help, too, maybe I wouldn't come home and find you passed out on the floor."

OOC: Fixed typo lol

[Mason Doom]

Sheldon's answer seemed to anger Mason. "Then I'll just work myself to death if that's what you really want." He snapped not gazing at Sheldon still. He knew both things were equal bad for one. But he hated feeling like he was a "bad person" for drinking. He hated feeling like Sheldon was looking down at him for it.

"You are perfect though!" He glared. "You never let anything get to you. Your always happy. Your not a drunk like me." He said the last part in a whisper. "I can just go to a therapist one day and expect them to fix me like that. This has been happening for a long time. Since before I meet you. " he sighed "it isn't just going to go away."