Let me live | Hardzello♡

Chapter 16

When Joe wakes up again, he's confused when he feels someone is holding his hand. Still quite sleep-drunk, he doesn't give it much thought. Instead, he simply yawns and snuggles a little closer to his pillow, not wanting to open his eyes just yet. Then his fingers get intertwined with someone else's fingers. The boy cracks one eye open, blinking a few times to let his eyes adjust to the light.
"Hey Joey."
When Joe hears this, both his eyes flutter open. "Ben?" He sits up a little, looking at the blond boy in surprise. "H-How long was I asleep? How long are you back already? Are you okay?" The ginger asks as he rubs his eyes.
Ben smiles as he starts to rub his thumb over Joe's knuckles. "Yes, I'm okay, don't worry." He whispers. He can feel his heart glow a little when he sees the reassured look in Joe's eyes. "I think I've been back in the room for about three hours now, more or less." He adds, answering Joe's other question.
Joe's eyes widen a little. "Why didn't you wake me?" He asks. He really wanted to be awake when Ben came back from the OR.
Ben smiles. "Well, the first hour I was still half asleep from the anaesthesia. And I saw how peaceful you looked, so I didn't want to disturb you." The blond explains.
An ever so slight blush appears on Joe's face. "That's sweet." He mumbles. "Anyways, how are you feeling? Does it hurt?" He looks at Ben's chest. Despite the fact that the boy is completely bare-chested, only his lower abdomen is visible. The rest of the blond's torso is completely wrapped in all kinds of bandages.
Ben shrugs. "It's okay for now. I just gotta stay still." He sighs.
Joe shoots the boy a little smile, glad that he's back again.
"So, watcha reading?" Ben asks to change the subject, looking at the book Joe is still holding.
The ginger lets out a soft groan. "You mean my social studies homework?" He shows Ben the cover of the book with a grimace.
Ben's eyes widen. "Homework? Why are you doing homework?" He asks.
Joe sighs. "My school is making me do it. If I don't finish it in time, I won't graduate." He mumbles.
Ben raises his eyebrow. "How can they make you do homework? The focus should be on your health right now." He says with a frown.
Joe simply shrugs at that, not knowing what more he can say about it.

After talking a bit, Ben decided to take a short nap. "Could you wake me up when visitors' hour starts? I don't wanna be snoring over here while you have visitors." The blond boy says with a chuckle.
Joe giggles softly. "Will do. Sleep tight." He says, smiling widely when he sees Ben's eyes falling close.
Ben yawns, only now noticing how tired he really is. He mumbles something back before closing his eyes. It doesn't take him very long to fall asleep.
"I guess I'll just continue with my homework then." The ginger mumbles before grabbing his science book. He shoots a quick glance at the time, seeing visitors hour starts in one and a half hours. One and a half hours of science. Joe groans loudly before opening his book.

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Ben wakes up about one and a half hours later because of a huge amount of pain rushing through his chest. With his eyes still closed, he tries to take deep breaths. But it doesn't make the pain go away. His hand travels down in search of the call button, so he can ask Lucy for some pain relief. His eyes open with a soft groan when he realises that the button is out of his reach. The doctor must have nudged it aside at his last checkup. And so Ben decides to ask Joe if he can call in Lucy for some pain relief.
The blond carefully turns his head towards Joe's bed. He frowns when he sees Joe sitting up straight in bed, his head buried in his hands. "Joe? Are you okay?" Ben asks a bit worried.
Joe shakes his head. "I- I'm... He." The boy stammers, not looking up to meet Ben's eyes.
When Ben hears a soft sob coming from the ginger he's positive that the boy is having another panic attack. Which is really bad timing. Ben himself can't get out of bed, and he can't reach the button to call Lucy. "Joey, it's okay. He's not here. You're safe." Ben says.
Joe shakes his head again. "No, h-he... he will hurt me." He chokes out.

That's the moment the door of their room opens. Relief overfloods Ben when he sees Ginnie and John entering the room.
"Mommy, Joey's crying!" John exclaims before hopping over to his brother's bed. With a lot of effort, the little boy manages to climb onto the bed.
Ben smiles a little when the boy hugs Joe.
Ginnie immediately rushes over to her son as soon as she sees the tears streaming down his face. She sits down on the edge of the bed, taking Joe's hands in her own. "Joe, honey, you need to breathe." She says, trying not to panic herself.
Joe looks into his mother's eyes, his gaze radiating panic and chaos. "He- he has the knife again. He is c-coming after me." He rattles, tears still making their way down his cheeks.
Ben can see Ginnie swallow when Joe says this.
"He's not here baby. You're safe." Ginnie says in a reassuring voice.
John looks up from the hug. "Joey, you're okay." He says with the most innocent and sweet smile Ben has ever seen.
Joe squeezes his eyes shut, and puts his arms around his little brother to join the hug. "I can't.... can't do this...-" He whimpers with a soft sob.
"Yes you can." Ginnie says in a stern voice. "Take a deep breath in."
Ben only gets more worried when he hears how much effort it takes Joe to simply breathe in.
"Good. Now breathe out." Ginnie whispers, gently taking Joe's hand in her own.
Joe briefly just stares at his mother holding his hand while still hyperventilating. "I don't want to die...-" He whispers with a soft sob.
Ginnie blinks her tears away. "You won't, Joe. I promise." She whispers back. "Take another deep breath in, okay?"