Letting Him In

Chapter-58

"But don't burn out
Even if you scream and shout
It'll come back to you
And I'll be here for you"

-One Direction, Through The Dark
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Elijah

Two weeks. He'd been on the treatment for two whole weeks, and today was his first test to check if the cancer had spread or if he was getting better.

He'd been up most of the night again, throwing up several times. Even though his stomach was empty, he couldn't stop. He'd managed to fall asleep for an hour before he'd been woken up for testing.

He sat up, coughing a bit. All the throwing up was making his throat burn, and he felt lightheaded and tired. It had been this way for a week and a half, and Elijah knew he'd been acting moody with everyone around him.

Just the other day, he had snapped at his mother for no reason when she had asked him to eat something. He'd even been upset with Lily and Leo for reasons he couldn't even remember right now.

Most of all, he was surprised that Dean hadn't left him yet. Between treatments and his constantly upset mood, Elijah wouldn't have blamed Dean for not wanting to deal with him anymore. Yet he had stayed. Even when Elijah had gotten mad at him, or when he had called him at three in the morning after throwing up, he hadn't left. He'd been there every day after school, and stayed every night until visiting hours were over. He'd comforted Elijah when he was in pain, promised to be there when he woke up every time he was afraid to be alone when he woke up.

Elijah didn't deserve Dean, but he was grateful to have him. Some good things in life weren't meant to be questioned, and this was one of them.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Dean said from where he was sitting on the armchair next to Elijah's bed.

His parents were talking to Doctor Larkson in his office, and Elijah had convinced Kaeden to go get some coffee. Kaeden had spent the night at the hospital, and he hadn't gotten any sleep either, refusing to leave Elijah and go to sleep.

"Just nervous, I guess," Elijah said, his voice throaty and hoarse.

Dean leaned forward, his hand clutching Elijah's. "Anyway I can help?"

Elijah shook his head, trying to give him a smile but failing. "Just... stay with me," he said.

Dean nodded. "I don't plan of leaving," he promised. "I love you."

Elijah smiled, squeezing Dean's hand. "I love you too," he said. After a few seconds of silence, he went on, "I'm just really scared. What if this isn't working. I don't want to let everyone down again. It's all I've been doing off late, and I hate it."

"Hey, look at me," Dean said, lifting Elijah's chin to meet his eyes. "Don't you dare think for a second you're letting anyone down. Literally everyone can see how none of this is your fault. You didn't even want to go on this new drug, but you did it for everyone else's sake anyway. And maybe it's working, Li. Stop thinking the worst. Everytime you think for someone else, you think the best for them in any scenario. Do me a favor, and do the same for yourself."

Butterflies erupted in Elijah's stomach, Dean's light touch on his face making it hard not to smile even right now.

He let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. "God, I... I don't know what I'd do without you," he said.

"You'd be lonely, for one," Dean said, eliciting a chuckle from Elijah.

A knock sounded on the door, and Raine poked her head in. "You ready for the tests?" she asked.