Sweet Little Birds (BxB Romance, Completed)

Chapter 36: Hospital Food

The hospital building was tall, square, and terrifying. The mere sight of the wide glass doors--opening and closing like the wide jaws of a terrifying dragon--made Robin shudder. They brought back hidden memories of him walking through those very doors many years ago, when his mom brought him to every hospital in the province to figure out his mysterious illness, or as he now knew, to use him in her nefarious games for attention and control.

But Robin wasn't at the hospital with his mother this time. He wasn't here to get poked and prodded with needles. He was here to support his boyfriend. And that task trumped the fear that told him to run far away to escape those doors.

"Are you nervous?" Robin asked, holding the car door open while Tyler climbed out. Aunt Donna, who had driven them there and would also come inside to support her nephew, had gone to figure out the parking meter. Unfortunately, Tyler's cousin Lance was working, so he wasn't able to join them at the hospital.

Tyler shook his head in reply--which made curls rustle against the crinkly fabric of his jacket collar--but he couldn't hide the jittery energy in his body. His fingers strummed the roof of the car while he waited for Robin to fetch his crutches in the trunk. "Mostly eager." He took the metal appendages that were handed to him. "I might not need these after today. Not all the time at least. If everything... works out."

"I'm sure it will," Robin assured his boyfriend and caught a shaking hand. Restless fingers fiddled across his palm. Despite what he may claim, Tyler undoubtedly was nervous. Robin leaned in close for a discreet kiss, which hopefully would soothe frayed nerves a bit.

"Come on boys!" Aunt Donna encouraged them as she came walking quickly across the parking lot. "We don't want to be late!"

The smell of the hospital--sterilized surfaces and unappetizing hospital food-- hit Robin as they approached. It made Robin's head spin but he was determined to not get caught up in his terrifying memories. This was about Tyler, not about him. Tyler needed him.

After walking through miles of bare hallways and twiddling their thumbs for half an eternity in the waiting room, Robin found himself sitting in a room that didn't look like any hospital room he'd been to before--it looked more like a gym since it was filled with training equipment for people recovering from injuries--which he was grateful for since it meant that this sweet memory wouldn't get muddled with bitter memories from his past.

Robin looked on with keen interest while Julia, the prosthetic technician, instructed Tyler on the proper usage of the prosthetic leg. Knowing how impatient Tyler could be, it would probably be good if Robin remembered the details as well and could help him with it. Otherwise, there was a risk the leg would end up backward, or even upside down.

"Let's start with putting the sleeve on," Julia told Tyler. She held up a sock-like silicon contraption, that was supposed to go on Tyler's residual leg. "Could you move your shorts out of the way, Tyler?"

Hesitantly, Tyler released his grip on Robin's hand, which he'd been holding tightly since they entered the hospital. He used his now free hands to pull up his long red basketball shorts--which he'd changed into right before the fitting, as the Canadian November weather made short inadvisable to wear outside--far enough to reveal his left knee.

"Can you roll them up a bit more?" Julia asked gently, letting Tyler move at his own speed. Which was a very slow speed at the moment, as he rolled the shorts up at the most another inch.

Robin patted Tyler's other knee to assure him that everything was alright. "I think you need to roll them further," he whispered. "I can turn away if you want me to." He was aware that Tyler was very cautious about anyone seeing the lingering scars from his injury.