Side By Side

9

Warnings:
-None

Clay's POV

I laid on my bed at home after I came home from my appointment for my hearing aid. Sapnap was exercising in my room to become stronger again and he panted as he did multiple jumping jacks and squats.

He wiped some sweat from his forehead and then sat down on my bed to take a short break. I looked at him and sighed softly.

'Sap?' I mumbled. 'I've just been so sad the last few weeks, because even though I'm so traumatised because of the army, I really want to go back...'

He laid down and rolled to his side to look at me.

'And I already saw I can join back with prosthetics, but deaf people can't join back. If my hearing loss was temporary, I should have been back weeks ago... I don't think I will ever be able to join again but it's my biggest dream ever.'

'Give it some time, okay? They accepted you even though you're gay and that wasn't allowed either,' he smiled, pulling me closer. 'Maybe take your hearing aid out and sleep for a little.'

I nodded slowly. 'I'm really tired.'

~ A Few Days Later ~

A few days passed by after I got my hearing aid. It had been really weird to hear with one ear after being deaf for ages. I was very quickly overwhelmed and then turned it off so I wouldn't get a bad headache.

I was currently laying on my bed without my hearing aid since I was tired and wanted to sleep. I laid on my side with my eyes closed, hoping I'd fall asleep without a nightmare this time. George and Karl were coming over tomorrow and I wanted to be fit enough that I would fall asleep.

I laid in silence as I suddenly heard a sound. I lifted myself up and held my hand on my ear to see if I actually took my hearing aid out. I was quiet for a little and then heard a door sound which made me gasp.

I heard my own voice as I started panicking because I wasn't wearing my hearing aid and I did suddenly hear muffled but pretty loud noises.

'SAPNAP!' I yelled out, hearing my own voice. I was terrified as I checked again to see if I had my hearing aid actually not in.

I waited shortly and Sapnap ran into my room, looking to see if I had my hearing aid in. He was about to sign to me as I shook my head in shock.

'Sapnap, I hear something.'

He frowned and looked again. 'You do? Hello, hi, hey.'

'Hi,' I mumbled. 'I'm terrified. It's very muffled, but I hear you and my own voice. I don't know what's going on.'

'But what- you're deaf...' He looked at me with big eyes and grabbed my hearing aid. 'I'm so confused. The doctor told you you're fully deaf on one side.'

'Yes, but I hear you.' I stared at him with a terrified look in my eyes, tapping my ear again. 'Was it temporary?'

'But it shouldn't have taken this long,' he answered. 'It's the afternoon, we can call the doctor?'

'I didn't hear that well, you're talking unclearly.'

'We can call the doctor!' he repeated but this time louder.

I nodded to answer him and he stood up again to get my parents and ran back in with them by his side. 'He can suddenly hear things again!'

'What?' my mother asked as she looked at me. My dad clapped his hand out of nowhere and I immediately looked at him.

'I hear everything muffled and still pretty soft, but I can definitely hear voices and sounds. I'm really confused because I don't have my hearing aid in.'

'Was it temporary? But it took so long?' my dad yelled out excitedly. 'Hold on, I'm calling your doctor. Your rehabilitation therapist is coming in ten minutes, though.'

I nodded slowly as he walked off. My mother sat on my bed and Sapnap did the same.

'I know this is a really stupid moment,' Sapnap suddenly started. 'But I want you to hear this in real life and not through sign language. I love you so much, Clay. You're my brother, I see you as my brother and I'm so proud of you.'

I felt my face heat up because I found it so sweet and I looked at him as he looked at his hands. 'I never had a real family. My parents didn't even ask about me anymore and I'm very glad I can stay here. I hope you don't find me annoying here, I really love being with you and your parents.'

My mother smiled too now and she reached out to grab his hand. 'I see you as my son,' she admitted, which caused Sapnap's mouth to fall open.

'Really?' he exclaimed, squeezing her hand.

'Yes,' she answered. 'You're like a son to me, Clay's brother. Our family.'

Sapnap was lost for words and I pulled him closer, giving him a kiss on the top of his head. 'My older brother.'

He was completely quiet and then lifted his hand up to his face as he started sobbing softly. Within seconds he bursted out into the most tears he ever had and he sniffed loudly, hitching a breath.

'It's okay,' I smiled, ruffling his hair up. 'We love you so much.'

'I talked to my husband about this too...' my mother started. 'We have to pay for the therapy now, but the insurance is covering most of it. After you both have your prosthetics, I want to make appointments with a police officer and an adoption centre.'

Sapnap's eyes got really big as tears streamed down his face.

'If your parents go to jail, we can officially adopt you as our son,' she smiled. 'If you want that.'

'There's nothing I would want more than that,' he cried. 'Is this a joke?'

'It's not,' my father suddenly answered as he stood inside of the room too. 'We've been looking into this but we can't adopt you as long as your parents have the legal right to take care of you. If they go to jail, the judge will most likely decide they lose ownership and we can adopt you as our son.'

Sapnap fell into my arms while crying loudly. 'I love you so much. Please, never leave me.'

'I won't, I promise,' I answered, holding him tightly.

1082 words