Drowning Out Sound

Drowning Out Sound: Chapter #1

Bad Things Happen Bingo: Ear Injury

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It's early evening when Peter's plane finally touches down in California but he's anything but relaxed. His body is fraught with tension as he gathers his carry on and gets outside where a rental car is already waiting for him. It's an hour drive to the hospital but he makes it in half the time.

The hospital seems so still when he arrives, and he glances at the sign out front.

California Children's Clinic

He doesn't linger but heads inside and immediately up to the front desk. A nurse with curly blonde hair and green eyes smiles at him. "Hello. Can I help you?"

Peter swallows and nods. "My um...My godson is here. He was brought in and they called me."

"Name?"

"Mieczyslaw Genim Stilinski. Although he goes by Stiles."

The nurse's face loses its smile as she nods sadly. "I'll take you to his room."

Peter feels sick to his stomach. The look on her face says it all. "Thank you. I want to check on him and then I was told I need to meet with a Ms. Swenson and a Doctor David."

"Of course. I'll let them know you're here," she says as she directs him to a hospital room on the second floor. The door is number 408 and Peter almost smiles because he knows Stiles would love that he's staying in a room with the same number as his birthday.

When he steps into the room the boy is asleep and Peter's heart shatters at how small he looks. Quietly he makes his way over and takes a seat in the chair beside the boy's bed. His hand brushes chocolate curls from the boy's face and he chokes back a sob. He didn't get a lot of information on the phone but the fact that neither of his parents are here can't mean anything good.

Stiles starts to stir his amber eyes slowly blinking open and then widening. "Unca Peter?" he whispers.

"Hello pup."

"I diddin know you was comin."

Peter smiles softly. "I heard there was a little pup who needed a Hale hug. I knew I had to come since I give the best Hale hugs."

Stiles giggles and reaches for Peter who scoops him up and cradles him close.

The boy settles against him and mumbles. "I wish der wasn't mimes here. I diddn know you were a mime, Unca Peter." He drifts off and Peter wants to cry. The boy didn't hear a word he said? Fuck.

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"Mr. Hale, thank you for coming. I'm Doctor David and this is Ms. Swenson, the social worker assigned to the young Stilinski's case."

Peter shakes their hands and takes a seat across from them in the small meeting room. "I got here as quickly as I could. Please tell me everything."

The other two exchange a look and the social worker nods.

Doctor David sighs. "We don't know as much as we wish we did about the causes of his current condition."

"He can't hear," Peter says softly. "Can he?"

"No. He can't. He asked Mr. Stilinski if he was in a mime hospital. We think he's not even aware that he's deaf because he talks just fine. His brain isn't processing that he can't hear his own voice. We haven't told him yet."

Peter rakes a hand through his hair. "I'll tell him. He trusts me and knows me. Do you have a diagram or a picture I can use?"

Doctor David nods and pages a nurse to retrieve those things. Ms. Swenson slides over a folder. "This is the paperwork we will need from you. You are listed as guardian should anything happen to the boy's parents, but we have to make sure everything is covered on all sides."