Welcome to Underland

Accomodations

“What do you mean your Elliot?” I ask Dr Fox as he watches the scan in another room. “I’m kind of seeing someone named Elliot too. He also has hEDS, you are both very similar but very different. One of the main differences is he only recently learned of his condition but you’ve known for a few years, so he isn’t quite as ……. willing with the treatment. Well I don’t know if willing would be the right word,” he chuckles a little at the end.

“I think I get what you mean. As I was saying to the guys, I am not the best patient but this is a massive improvement to how I was in the beginning since I was basically alone,” I respond as I hear the door opening. Next things the bed I’m on is removed from the scanner and I am being gently lifted into my wheelchair by Dr Fox.

“Feel free to pass on my contact details to him. I am awkward at best and probably on the worse side of the condition that I might actually scare him but it would be nice to talk to someone,” I tell him as he begins to push me back to the room.

“Unfortunately you are both around the same severity, but I will indeed pass on your contact details. Thank you Elliot,” he says softly as we pull into my bedroom. All of the guys are standing around waiting for us.

“How did the scan go?” Don asks immediately looking me over as if he is afraid I shattered while out of his sight. “All good, everything seems aligned. I am going to send you home with some equipment that will allow us to keep your arms raised in bed rather than using pillows as we don’t want to bother your joints,” Dr Fox explains to us all, I nod, grateful that my joints won’t be bothered but annoyed my arms will be hung up for two weeks.

“I will get the discharge papers ready if you want to gather everything, the papers should be at the nurses station in 5 or so minutes,” he smiles at us before leaving the room.

“I want to walk a bit during these weeks, we can figure something out for my arms at the time, but I can already feel my muscles weakening majorly from being bed bound so soon after being sick and all that. I don’t want to have to basically rebuild my muscles from scratch,” I inform the others, looking specifically at Don, him being the doctor he will know what I mean.

“That sounds all good. We were actually going to ask if you would come stay in ours,” Nox replies for the two of them. I look between them all confused at the sudden suggestion. “We have medical stuff at ours and a spare room and all that, it would be convenient and would give us all a bit of peace of mind if all of us were together,” Don explains to me.

“All of us?” I ask hesitantly. “Ren can stay with us, and well Raine is our neighbour so….” Nox answers, smiling a little bashfully.

“Your telling me that 4 out of the 5 people in this room live in the same apartment building,” I grumble. “Well technically I used to lived with Don and Nox, we just took a break and I moved away for a while, I’ve been staying in a Air BnB recently until I found a place I liked,” Ren mutters.

“This is a conversation to be had at home, lets not delve into old relationships until we are all comfortable and we have Eli all set up at home. So how about it? Are you ok staying with us for the time being? No worries if not,” Nox rambles out, I think about it for a moment before nodding slowly, living with two medical professionals would probably be a good idea. Even if it is only temporary.

“Great, lets head off and we can have these super fun conversations once we get you all set up in bed,” Ren kisses my forehead before pushing me towards the discharge desk. I look at the papers in front of me and refrain from rolling my eyes as the nurse tells me to sign them.

“I can’t, my arms are out of commission, Nox can you pop the pen in my mouth, I’ll just try scribble my name,” Nox puts the pen in my mouth and holds the clipboard with the papers infront of me. I messily sign before the pen is taken away.

We head out of the building and stop beside a mini van, making me frown in confusion. None of the guys own a minivan as far as I am aware. “Took it from work, we rent it out to people,” Nox explains as we gets the lift all set up for my chair. I nod, acknowledging what he tells me.

I don’t think I could be friends with more ideal people, a doctor and a medical supplier who also is a registered…… I can’t even remember I feel he has so many side jobs. Everyone piles in after me, Ren sitting in the seat beside mine and Raine opposite me.

“You’ve been very quiet,” I mutter towards Raine, not wanting to be disrespectful to a Dom but my curiosity also pushing me. “I’ve just been thinking about things. I won’t be heading up to the apartment with you when we arrive. I need to go visit someone, I’ve needed to have a talk with them for a while,” he tells me, squeezing my knee softly.

“Now you Ren better look after this absolute Angel here, if he misbehaves take some time before doing punishments if necessary, but healing is this ones main priority, if he wants to do any sort of play he can wait, we are not risking his health,” he scolds Ren.

“I’m not an idiot, No playing, his health is more important. Isn’t that right doll?” Ren looks to me, a little grin playing on his face. “Guess so, I’ll have nothing to do anyways so may as well just heal for the next while,” I mumble to myself, realising that I’ve quit my job so will literally have nothing to do.

We pull into the underground car park and separate from Raine who gets off on the first floor before heading to the others apartment. They open the door and I’m shocked, it is much bigger than my own, though I suppose there are only two apartment son this floor and there are 6 on mine. I’m instantly wheeled into the guest room and transferred onto the gigantic bed. Ren sits beside me as Nox begins rustling about setting things up. I don’t pay attention to anything other than Rens soft whispers of reassurance until Nox appears in my line of view again.

“Lets get your arms set up in these slings,” he says, I scoot back and let them remove the slings holding my arms against my chest. Leaning my back against the pillow, I watch Nox bring over two weird looking contraptions. He begins manouuvering them closer and sliding my arms in, he adjusts the height before stepping back and looking me over. The slings hold my arms in line with my shoulders and support the whole cast. I sigh at the uncomfortable position my arms will be in for the next while before looking over at the others.

It seems Don had been setting up my feed pump, I notice it all set up beside my bed. “Don’t worry you don’t have to sleep like that. We will put you back in the slings for sleep, but this is best for healing during the day,” Don explains. I frown in response, “my shoulders are already aching,” I mutter.

“Lets see how today goes, if it hurts that bad we can just keep you in the slings all the time, we would prefer not to but don’t want you to be in a lot of pain. Why don’t you go for a nap, I know we all need to talk but I am not going to lie you look like you’re about to pass out,” he smiles softly at me. I nod reluctantly, trying to get more comfortable, letting my eyes close trying to forget the world around me.