Transplant Boy (MxMxMxMxM)

Chapter 1

(A/N: This is the sequel to Cottage on the Hill. I hope you all enjoy!)

Friday the 18th of December 2020

I squirmed in my seat. My hands trembled. The beanie on my head itched.

James sat beside me with his hand on my leg. We decided last night that James would come with me today, because he would understand the medical jargon. Casper, Oliver, and Hale are all waiting at home. Ollie was particularly unhappy about this and was only subdued by the fact that James promised to text him updates.

"Doing ok?" James asked quietly as we watched a couple leave the oncologists office. They glanced at us, the man scowled and pulled his wife away. "Asshole," James muttered before they'd left through the automatic doors.

I pursed my lips. I don't have time to think about other peoples bigotry today. Or any day. It's too hard.

I stared down at my own hands. Bony and pale now. The rest of my body is of a similar state. James squeezed my thigh. I don't usually need to answer those kinds of questions.

The receptionist took a call. The words jumbled in my head, even though I'm not supposed to be listening. She glanced at me and smiled. I tried to return the favour, but fell short. "You'll be ok."

I nodded.

James hummed, checked his watch, then the clock on the wall. "He's running late, I guess. We should be seen soon."

"I know," I croaked. My lips are dry. I have an ulcer inside my cheek. The minutes ticked by on the clock, but time seemed to stand still. James fidgeted beside me. He's good at this. Keeping a lid on his emotions when mine are all over the place. But that doesn't stop me feeling bad about him having to do that.

"Ready?" he asked as my oncologist came down the hall holding a clipboard and looking through some paperwork.

"Elliot?"

We stood up and followed him into his office. James kept his arm firmly around my waist. I think I'll fall over if he lets go. I swallowed the lump in my throat, only for it to return with it's friend nausea. I hate these appointments. But this one is particularly scary. This one I'm supposed to be finding out what happens for the transplant.

"How are you today, Elliot?" Doctor Hassel asked, smiling. I tried to smile back but it felt wobbly. James and I sat down in front of his desk and he opened up something on his computer, probably some kind of results. I've got a lot of those.

"We're ok," James answered for me, squeezing my hand under the desk. The doctor nodded, pursing his lips. I guess he doesn't get many positive responses to that question, given his profession.

"So your last day of was... yesterday. Great. I want you to go upstairs and have your bloods done, including a lymphocyte count, and another biopsy. I'll get all of that sorted for you, then we'll go over the process for the bone marrow transplant. Is that still something you want?" Doctor Hassel looked at me, then to James when I didn't say anything.

I gripped James' hand. Yes, it is, but I'm not sure I want to hear how it goes. I nodded.

The doctor looked slightly uncomfortable with this, but continued typing into his computer. He printed out three bits of paper and handed them to James. Weeks of James being the one to understand and organise things must have made him think I'm useless. James squeezed my hand and looked over the sheets.

"Will Nina be there for the biopsy today?" James asked, furrowing his brows.

"She should be. I can make a request but she might have other things to do," Doctor Hassel replied. James didn't speak for a minute as he continued to read the sheets we'd been given. Hassel printed out two more and pushed them towards us. I saw the order for a bone marrow biopsy at the top of the page and gulped. My cheeks paled. "I've sent all of this upstairs as well. They're expecting you in about forty minutes so you should have time to get something to eat before."