Valeriana

3

Duncan is in this chapter. I love Duncan. <3

TWs: eating disorders, bullying, mention of sa. Stay safe my lovelies <3

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"And then fWhip was like, 'That's what she said,'" Scar said, making Grian giggle sleepily. The younger yawned and snuggled in the blanket that Jimmy bought for him since the ones at the hospital are too thin for him. "Oh, do you want to go to sleep?" Scar asked, pulling the blanket over Grian's shoulders.

Grian shook his head, though his heaviness of his eyelids said otherwise. "No, I just..." He yawned again. "Little... sleepy."

Scar and Mumbo looked at each other with the same look of adoration, both of them giggling.

"You can sleep if you're tired," Mumbo said. "We'll still be here."

"Save me... a scone," Grian murmured, then closed his eyes and began to snore softly.

Scar and Mumbo melted at how quickly Grian fell asleep, Scar letting out little aww's every time he snored.

"You boys are so cute," Lizzie said, making the two of them blush.

There was a knock at the door before it opened a bit. "Is he awake?" Joel's voice asked from the doorway, and he groaned when Lizzie shook her head. "Damn. I brought Duncan."

Lizzie laughed. "Your brought our Saint Bernard to a hospital?" she said, and Joel smiled.

"I figured it'd cheer Grian up," he said with a shrug, then walked into the room with Duncan, who looked like he was smiling. "Look, it's Grian."

Duncan, excited, jumped up onto the bed, which immediately woke Grian up from his rather short nap.

"Duncan!" Grian laughed as the dog licked all over his face, his tail wagging wildly behind him. "Hey, buddy!" He hugged Duncan and Duncan calmed down a bit, leaning his head against the boy as Grian continued to pet his back. "Oh, you're such a good boy."

"Sorry, kiddo, I didn't mean to wake you," Joel apologised, smiling at how cute Grian and Duncan were. He made a face as he sniffed the air. "Chicken?"

"Jimmy and Scott brought some," Lizzie answered, gesturing to a slightly open cooler bag on the floor next to her. The bag didn't have any ice. "They just went to go get drinks from the vending machine so we could have lunch."

Joel leaned over to kiss his wife's cheek. "I had good timing, then," he said softly as sat down next to her. He glanced at the cooler bag and raised his eyebrows. "Oh, scones? Those are yummy."

"Dad, you sound middle-aged," Grian laughed as Duncan settled to lay down on the bed with him. "Aw, Duncan, you've taken half the blanket..."

Joel blinked and turned to Lizzie. "Do I sound middle-aged?" he whispered, and she shrugged. "Hey!"

"Alright, we've got your drinks," Scott said as he and Jimmy walked into the room. "A tea for Lizzie," he handed her the drink as he named it, "a water for Grian, a Dr. Pepper for Scar-"

"And three waters for Mumbo," Jimmy finished with a nervous laugh.

Joel gave Mumbo a strange look as the boy took the water and began to chug one of the bottles. "You... okay over there?"

Mumbo was out of breath when he finished the bottle and nodded as he wiped water off of his chin. "Yeah," he breathed. "Just thirsty."

"I can tell," Joel said with a small laugh, then looked at Lizzie when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "Hm?"