Faded Embers

16

Atlas' POV:

I feel like complete garbage. When I met Calin in front of the hospital, he had Toast in his arms and Bailey on a leash. My poor friend was a complete mess and asked through sobs if I could leave the dog and cat at our apartment, which I did without hesitation. He also asked me to grab a new set of his clothes for Sean, informing me that Sean was covered in Miles' blood.

It's my fault Veronica is even in any of their lives... if I had just broken up with her and not proposed, maybe things would have gone slightly better! Why didn't I just listen to Calin? Or my sisters?

Sean is crying in the hallway when I get back to the hospital, and he tries to tell me it isn't my fault. He lets me hug him and hold him close, and I feel a little better knowing that he's not angry with me but the guilt is still eating me.

"We should go to the bathroom," I say, and Sean looks up at me, unimpressed.

"Miles is going through surgery, so I'm not really down for a bathroom blowjob."

I hand him the clothes. "To change, Sean. You're covered in blood."

"Oh."

"We've never even done that kind of thing before."

He shrugs and gets up, and I follow him to the small bathroom and wait for him while he changes in one of the stalls. When he comes back out, I grab his bloodied clothes and throw them away.

"Come on, Calin needs us," Sean says softly, and I want to hold his hand but I don't feel like I deserve to touch him right now.

Not with what I've caused today.

Calin is sniffling in his chair, but me offers a weak smile when he sees us. "No updates," he says, his voice crackly. "I guess that's good, because it means they're still working on him... keeping him alive."

Sean sits beside him and pulls Calin into a hug, pressing his nose to the top of his head. "He's going to be okay, Calin."

I can tell Sean doesn't believe his own words.

We sit in tense silence for nearly two hours without updates when a nurse walks out into the waiting room and looks around before making her way to us. She stands beside me and takes a deep breath.

"Are you the family or friends of Miles Finely?" she asks us gently.

"Yes," I respond, because I'm afraid if either Sean or Calin responds they'll puke on the floor.

She hums. "I'm pleased to report that the surgery went well and Mr. Finely is currently asleep but he is recovering and we are going to transfer him to another area where he can recover. Three are allowed in the room at a time, and I will get you from the upstairs waiting room once he's been transferred."

Calin gets up and is ready to head to the other waiting room, but Sean doesn't move.

"I'm going to go get food for Miles," Sean says in a barely audible voice. "He doesn't like bland food and that's what hospital food is."

Calin nudges my arm. "Go with him. He needs you," he whispers, and I hug my friend real quick before I run after Sean.

"Sean," I say, catching up to him. "I'm coming with you."

"You sound breathless. Calm down, we're not going to war, we're going to get Chinese food," he says, laughing softly. "Miles is definitely going to lecture me when I get back. If he's awake."

I take his hand in mine. "Why is that?"

"Miles always taught me to face my fears and he's going to know I was too afraid to see him like this. He nearly died," Sean murmurs.