Rosy Cheeks

sleepings; 4.02

Dedicated to Shannon because she's a lovely person, friend and writer. Good luck on your exams lovey! :-)x (her story Nightlight is pretty fabulous and you should check it out ;-D)

_______

The walk up to the boy's hospital room was nerve racking for the girl. The sterile smell, the too white walls, the sounds of wheels  the nurses and doctors roaming about in a hustle. Everywhere she looked, she was reminded of disease and death, and they were both things she didn't wish to imagine at that moment. All she wanted to think of was the boy smiling and healthy again; nothing more, nothing less.

The special visitor tag that was looped around her neck (which granted her special entrance to the suicide watch wing in the hospital) swung as she walked, and as she passed people by, they stared at her with sorrow filled eyes that she tried to ignore.  No one needed more sorrow in her situation. All someone needs is comfort. And reassurance that their loved one is alright.

Her gaze turned towards the numbered stickers on the doors as she rounded the corners, though she figured she would recognize the boy and his mother behind the glass paned walls of the rooms; which offered no privacy at all for the patient. 'Tomakesuretheyaren't.. theyaren'tgoingtotryagain..' Pale Eyes thought.When she finally found the number she was looking for, 308, she froze.

She could see the boy resting on the bed, his eyes shut. His mother was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring down at him with hallowed eyes and waterfall cheeks, and her hand was placed on his leg. In the corner of the room, Pale Eyes saw a flash of green. It took a moment for her to process that it was a nurse. A nurse who would stay watching the boy until the next shift came along. Almost like a child who couldn't be left unattended. She knew how much Rosy Cheeks would've hated it. 'Howmuchhewillhateit.'

Her eyes clamped shut as she took a few calming breaths, as she weened herself from the remaining adrenalin coursing through her veins from her earlier panic attack. She wanted to stay strong. For him. For his mother. She knew she had to  help be an anchor for the two. A hand to save them from drowning.

With a hesitant step forwards, she reached out her hand to drum her knuckles gently against the glass, gaining the immediate attention of the two who were awake in the room.  The nurse strode to the door and slid it open quickly, his dark eyes scanning the girls ID tag  then he waved his hand, as if moitioning the girl to go in. Her heart leaped at the motion, as she remembered the boy doing the same just months before.

His mother, with one last light squeeze to the boy's leg, rose slowly and made her way over towards the girl. Immediately, they had their arms wrapped around each other in a tight embrace. The girl could tell how afraid she was, how terrified she was of losing the only love she had left in her life. And the girl felt just the same as her.

"I.. I'll let you two be for awhile.. I haven't eaten since early in this morning." His mother said softly, giving the girl's shoulder a squeeze. She froze for a moment and gasped slightly. "Does that make me a bad mother? To leave his side because I'm hungry, when he's suffering? Oh, God."

She let out a soft sob, and the girl placed her hands lightly on his mother's shoulders. "Of course you aren't, you're a lovely mother who loves her son very much. You need to take care of yourself too. You know he wouldn't want you to put off doing your basic needs just to watch him, he's the most stubborn person I know." She said firmly, yet gently in the special way of hers.  "I'll be here, take as much time as you need. I'll call you if he wakes up before then, alright?"

His mother nodded, thanking and hugging the girl once more before exiting the room, her eyes still a raincloud, but her posture just a centimeter straighter.

The girl slowly turned towards the bed, where Rosy Cheeks was lying on his back, with his eyelashes resting against his abnormally pale cheekbones, and his arms outstretched on both sides. They were wrapped in thick swirls of guaze from his wrists up to the tops of his forearms, and seemed to be put together with tape. His hands had numerous tubes connected to them with needles, that lead up to packs filled with liquids. One with a clear fluid, and another with thick red substance that made the girls stomach churn. A third contraption was on his finger tip, that lead up to a monitor that showed his weak, yet beating heart.

After she took it all in, her knees gave out from under her. And she cried.

Oh, she cried.

It took her a few minutes to regain her composure. especially when she remembered that the nurse was in the room with them. When she looked up at him, rubbing at her eyes, she saw that he had averted his gaze to look out the window. And for that, she silently thanked him.

With a shaky breath, she pulled herself from her pile on the floor, and she walked closer to the bed. She aligned her tiny fingers with his long ones, and drummed her fingertips against his, then began to hum softly. She'd always hummed when he felt sad, and he'd always seemed to calm down a bit afterwords.

Her eyes were closed, still playing with his fingers gently and humming, when her hand was being tugged, oh so slightly. Startled, she gasped loudly, and looked down to find a stirring Rosy Cheeks. His eyelids were fluttering and squeezing shut, on account of the harsh lighting, and the girl leaned forwards to block it from his line of sight.

After what seemed an hour, the boy seemed a bit more alert, and even offered the girl the smallest of smiles (though it quickly faded.)

"Hey there, beautiful." He managed to croak out, his normally husky voice broken and higher pitched.

She was silent for a while, studying his face. His little flecks of freckles on his cheeks and nose, his glazed brown eyes. His empty colored skin. "..Hi" she whispered."How ya' feeling?"

The boy began to nod sluggishly, then winced visibly. "Peachy." He replied, giving her a slight frown. Then he scooted over slowly, and patted the empty space on his bed lightly.

Hesitantly, with a worried glanced at the nurse (who gave her a discreet nod before turning back to the window), she lifted herself next to him on the plushy mattress. With more than her usual cautiousness, she eased herself into the space between his arm and his side, and rested her head on his shoulder.

Together, for the rest of the night, they talked softly (though the boy didn't have the energy to say much or stay awake for long); exchanging tears and many apologies, though neither needed to give any.

His mother checked in on them numerous times, as they stayed curled up together on the bed, and the nurse exchanged shifts with an even kinder one. When it came time for visiting hours to be over, the new nurse didn't say a thing as the mom relaxed in the reclining chair and the couple began to doze off to sleep. And the three were thankful for that.

___

Bella's note: If there's any mistakes (which I'm sure there's a ton and some of this might not be according to actual hospital standards or whatnot) I'm so sorry. I'm getting sick again and I don't even feel like moving. Anywho.

I don't want this story to end, ugh. Not ready for it.

QOTC: What's your favorite season?

I quite enjoy springtime, as its usually quite lovely out where I live. Its not too warm yet not too cold, which is perfect for me. Plus all the colors that come with spring make me the happiest.

Much love, and thank you for all your support as always,

-xx

(P.s. thiswasoriginallysupposedtobelonger, butImputtingitin the nextchapter.

Also, I feel asif I should've focusedmore on them talking together? Would you guys like tosee that in their memories book? or should I rewrite some of this chapter?

3rd thing: if I offered to do a oneshot competition, where any one who writesa good future memory ordate they had during this story's timeframe or later on, would be featured in their memories book, would any of you enter? (Lol this probably made no sense.)