"Yeah... I was kind of in a hurry..." That little bit of humor gave Ethan hope that he hadn't damaged his relationship with her completely.<br/><br/>Grateful that she agreed, Ethan escorted her back to his apartment, doing his best to shield her from the prying eyes of the public. As they ascended the stairs, a man several years older than he cat-called her, sparking a bit of anger in him, though not nearly as severe as it had been a few moments before. He shoved the man hard, sending him down the last few steps to the landing, hitting the wall with a thud. Ethan spat a warning his way, and though he was not injured, the older man hurried down the rest of the stairs. Protecting Charlotte was priority number one at that point, and that included defending her honor just as much her body. He slid through the threshold, ushered her in, then closed and locked his door. Ethan did not need another surprise visit from his landlord.<br/><br/>"Yeah... about that..." Ethan's voice was quiet and solemn. The sting from the wound he had given her was still fresh, and she made him feel it right back, whether that was her intention or not. But he knew he deserved it. He continued to speak as he went to his closet, pulling out his softest shirt, which turned out to be one of his favorites. He also grabbed a blanket, then went and found his first aid kit before returning to her side. "I'm really sorry about that. It just... hit a soft spot. Now, before you get blood on my favorite shirt, turn your face so I can get you cleaned up and presentable." Ethan grabbed the blanket and draped it over her shoulders to at least keep her warm and give her some privacy. Gently he used his fingertips to turn her face so he could get a better look in the light. It was a gash, to be sure, but it wasn't as bad as he originally feared. "Yeah, it'll scar a bit. But don't worry, it won't make you any less pretty." Though he used a slightly sarcastic tone, he was telling the truth.<br/><br/>He worked carefully, though his metal fingers made the extra fine details more difficult. Luckily it wouldn't need any stitching. He cleaned the cut, then applied a spray to stop any bleeding and protect the wound from infection. In hospitals in the upper-class districts they could apply a polymer that would cover a wound completely, matching one's skin tone to make it seem like it wasn't even there. Unfortunately for Charlotte, she was in the care of a poor man, who survived on discounted and expired products. "There... good as new... mostly." He handed her his shirt, a faded picture of The Incredible Hulk printed across the front.<br/><br/>The desire to explain himself to her was almost overwhelming. Suffocating, even. "Listen, Charlotte. I know I can't take back what I said earlier, and if you hate me or just don't want to see me ever again, I understand. I know i'm a bad person. Sometimes I get really really mad and I just pop off the first thing that comes to mind. You didn't deserve it. The truth is..." Ethan paused, sighing heavily. He wanted to explain it to her, but he almost didn't know where to begin. "I... I need help. I drink too much. I yell at everyone. I'm an asshole, i know that. But I need help and... you're the only person that has ever really tried since... well for a while." Ethan wasn't sure he was ready to reveal his secret just yet. The loss was still somewhat fresh.<br/><br/>"You're the only person that I trust to ask." Ethan's eyes found the floor and fixated on the space just in front of her foot. She was still in the periphery of his vision, but he couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye, not because he was embarrassed by what he'd just admitted, but because he was ashamed of the way he acted.