so desperately obvious - Jake Webber x Johnnie Guilbert

jesus man, you're so sappy

The fairly unfamiliar warmth of emotions wells up behind his eyes but they don't escape, of course they don't. He doesn't deserve to shed tears, this is all his fault.

"Yeah, well. I'm gonna stay with him."

"Sir, visiting hours end at 7pm and you should get some rest you look.." she trails off and he can't tell if she was gonna say 'tired' or some iteration of 'disgusting' he doesn't care either way.

"Sorry lady but I'm not leaving him." The 'I'm the reason he got into this mess' is left unspoken but Jake is sure that the nurse can interpret that, she seems smart enough.

She doesn't seem to be budging on the subject and Jake feels like there must be some laws allowing him to stay with his alledged boyfriend. A quick google search tells him that (if requested) hospitals have to let a family member to stay over to help with anxiety of the patient that could interfere with care. He should have said they're husbands.. fuck it.

He holds his phone up with the search results to the nurse like a proud toddler showing their mom a drawing,

"He has anxiety, it's diagnosed. Look at his medical records or something."

Yes, old people like to tell you to 'not believe everything you see on the internet' but Jake doesn't give a fuck about the disinformation he could be spewing right now. All that matters is that he harasses the poor nurse into letting him make sure Johnnie doesn't wake up alone and scared.

She eventually gives in (likely deciding that fighting a distraught 20 something year old man isn't worth it) and Jake falls asleep sprawled across the the stiff bedside chair to the sound of Johnnie's grating heartbeat monitor. At least it lets him know that the other man is alive though now that they're in the hospital, that shouldn't be too much of a concern.

The room is cold and his sleep is dreamless and shallow. He can't help but think that this is some sort of karma.

-

Johnnie wakes up feeling like he's been hit by a fucking train. Seriously, what the fuck.. He's cold, still so cold and briefly wonders if he's dead and in some sort of purgatory...

He looks over to see Jake sprawled across the seats next to his bed in the most uncomfortable position that Johnnie could have possibly pictured and decides that no, this is definitely not purgatory. His body feels slightly warmer but not at the thought of his best friend staying with him... right? Hey, either way it's normal to feel all warm and fuzzy about being loved platonically, Johnnie reasons with himself.

The beeping of his heart moniter finally registers - he's in a hospital. Damn, he hates hospitals. He guesses that beggars can't be choosers but still. The smell of antiseptic is worsening his headache. Why is he here?

Oh... he must've passed out cuz of the rain.. Fuckin' rain of all things?! seriously? Why is the world out to make him feel like a pussy.

The subtle change in the heart moniter must disturb Jake because he jolts awake.

-

When Johnnie comes to, Jake can't help but hold his face in the palms of his hands, inspecting him like some kind of fine china that he's afraid of breaking - he's memorizing the others' face, his expression, taking in what he had thought was lost just a few minutes - (hours?) ago. Terrified of the storm of emotions brewing in his chest. He realizes belatedly that his hand placement is the same as that day all those months ago when they had drunkenly kissed and draws himself away from the smaller man reluctantly.

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA DIE JOHNNIE, WHAT THE FUCK" Maybe he should be more delicate with the other man but..

Johnnie winces, "dude, headache." His voice sounds utterly wrecked from disuse and Jake winces with sympathy.