𓈊 A Poppy By Any Other Name

Act XXVIII

Forewarning for descriptions of a panic attack!

* * *

"May I ask about the injuries on your back?"

Scott froze. "What injuries?" he asked, and neither Jimmy nor Daniel could tell if he was just playing it off or if he was genuinely confused.

Doc glanced at Daniel for a second before his eyes returned to Scott. "Let me show you." He pulled the tablet out from under his arm again and showed Scott an x-ray again, but this time it was of his spine rather than his shoulders. "Do you see these white spots on your spine?" Doc asked, pointing to several spots of white that were dotted along his spine.

Scott nodded. "Uh, yeah," he said slowly. "What are they?"

"Contusions," answered the doctor.

"As in bruises?" Daniel asked, worry lacing his words.

Doc looked up, nodding. "Yes. Scott, your spine, along with your ribs and the back of your skull, must have suffered some serious trauma to have this many contusions along the bone. You have no bruises on the surface of your skin, but these injuries on your bones can be serious."

Scott shifted uncomfortably on the examination table. "So..." He trailed off, looking down and biting his lip nervously.

"The anti-inflammatories prescribed for your shoulder should also take care of the contusions," Doc said, huffing a sigh. "I suggest being very careful, and steer clear of physical activities for a while." Scott's head shot up. "Just relax, give your body time to he-"

"Wait, I can't play football?" Scott asked, his voice cracking.

Doc shook his head. "Unfortunately," he said. "And I'd advise to not participate in any kind of rough sport for a few weeks after your shoulder's healed. We wouldn't want the fragile joint to be injured immediately after recovery."

Scott didn't say anything in response, instead merely inhaling deeply and nodding slightly.

There was a beat of heavy silence before Doc cleared his throat to talk. "I'll go write your prescription, and I'll be back in just a moment," he said, nodding and excusing himself from the room once more.

As Jimmy studied the look on Scott's face, he couldn't quite decipher what the violetette was thinking. "Scott, are you-"

Almost as soon as Jimmy began to talk, Scott let a small sob break loose.

"Scott-"

"It's fine," Scott said quickly, wiping at his eyes with the sleeve of his jumper. He shook his head. "It's just one season."

Jimmy and Daniel looked at each other with the same skeptical expression, and Scott huffed a pathetic laugh when he glanced over at Jimmy.

"I promise, I'm okay," Scott said as if reading the other boy's mind. "I just..." He sighed. "It just kind of sucks, considering I just found out I got on the team yesterday morning." Shaking his head again, he took a deep breath. "I'll be okay, though. I can still play next year."

Jimmy nodded hesitantly. "You... are you sure you're okay?"

Scott's eyes met Jimmy's, and Jimmy could almost feel how sad Scott looked as he nodded, eyes drifting away. "Yeah," Scott confirmed quietly.

"Okay."

* * *

"Scott, want some" - Jimmy froze in the doorway of the guest bedroom - "lemonade...?" Scott was flailing around with half a shirt on, looking slightly stuck with his left arm in the air and the neck hole over his shoulder. Jimmy could feel his cheeks warm slightly at the sight of Scott's stomach - he was built - and he diverted his eyes. "Uh, I can come ba-"