"Will, we need your help, Connor is panicking and you're the only one who has good enough understanding of sign language" Ethan said, rushing into the break room where Will was sat eating a sandwich
"Coming" Will sighed, walking quickly to the treatment where his boyfriend was sat trembling in a corner
"Will, too many people, out, get them out" Connor sighed, eyes frantic and filled with unshed tears
"Everybody out" Will ordered, watching as the five doctors in the room filed out, nodding as Natalie shut the door behind her
"Sorry, Imm sorry" Connor signed, his hands shaking as he did
"Nothing to apologise for Con, what happened?" Will asked softly, sitting down beside Connor who shuffled up closer
"I don't want to say" Connor signed
"Ok, you don't need to, you want to stay?" Will said, wrapping an arm around Connor and letting the man hide his face in his chest
"I want to go home" Connor signed, inhaling the comforting scent of Will's aftershave
"Come on beautiful" Will smiled, helping Connor stand but keeping a gentle grip on the younger mans waist
"I love you" Connor signed, reaching over to grasp Will's hand and squeezing gently
"I love you too baby" Will said, squeezing back gently as he pulled out his car keys, unlocking the door and helping Connor climb in
Closing the door softly, Will walked round to the drivers side and hopped in, starting the car and pulling out of the hospital carpark. He looked at Connor who was staring out the window, watching the world pass by, it made Will smile, it had taken a long time to see this side of his smaller boyfriend.
Will had first met Connor 3 years ago, the smaller man having been brought in to the Emergency Room after falling while ice skating and dislocating his shoulder. Connor had been with his best friend, Matthew Casey when the accident happened, it had been love at first sight for the pair.
Matthew had been nervous to let his friend on a date with the doctor, but after two dates he had seen how happy the brown haired man had become. Connor had been mute since he was a child, he was born deaf and unfortunately his family never paid for speech lessons nor for him to have hearing aids.
He didn't get the opportunity for hearing aids and speech therapy until he started working within the medical industry when he was 20 years old, however despite having this support Connor refused to speak and had spent his 26 years old life silent.
Will had a very knowledgeable background in sign language, his mother had been deaf as was his little brother Jay. The fact that the older Halstead had known sign language from the start made Connor fall for him harder; and having a deaf friend was also very nice.
"Maggie says you've asked to stop speech therapy" Will said softly, stopping at the lights just before the house they shared with Jay and his boyfriend Justin
"I hate it, teacher makes me feel stupid, talks to me like I am a child" Connor signed, reaching to his ears and taking off the hearing aids that sat comfortably on his ears
Will knew when the younger man took off his hearing aids it meant he wanted a break, and just squeezed Connors hand gently. Ten minutes later and they were parked at the front of the house, and Will smiled as he saw that his brother was home.
Connor opened the door, slipping out if the car and wandering slowly up to the house, opening the frony door and disappearing into the house without a backward glance. Will sighed, he knew how much the man wished he could speak but having not been taught from a young age meant it wasn't as simple as he thought it would be.
The ginger haired man got out of the car, grabbing his and Connors bags before also walking into the house, dropping the bags at the door he kicked off his shoes and made his way into the kitchen. Connor was missing from the kitchen but Justin was in there along with Jay who was reading the newspaper, his hearing aids missing.
"Where are his hearing aids?" Will asked, eyebrows raised
"On the fridge, has a headache" Justin chuckled, pointing to the fridge where Will could see two red cochlear magnets attached to the metal
"Did Connor come in?" Will asked, knocking on the table so he could get his brothers attention
"Yea, he was pretty upset, but didn't stay long and Jay didn't see him" Justin said
"Good day?" Will asked, smiling when Jay nodded before the younger man went back to the newspaper
"I'll start dinner, will he eat tonight?" Justin asked, knowing when Connor was anxious or upset it was a battle to get him to eat
"I'm not sure, I'll let you know" Will smiled, kissing Jays head as he walked out of the kitchen and started making his way upstairs to the bedroom he shared with Connor
Looking at the wall by the door, Will saw that the green aids that Connor wore were attached to the charging point, little red flashing lights on to show that they were connected. Connor himself was curled up on Will's side of the bed, in just a pair of sweat pants, his shoulders rising with each breath he took.
Will took off his scrubs, grabbing a pair of sweatpants and then walking over to Connor, crouching in front of the smaller man. The brown haired man was crying silently, large tears rolling down his face leaving him looking a lot younger than he actually was.
"What happened today baby?" Will signed, reaching out after and wiping the tears from Connors face
"Natalie kept saying I needed to start talking otherwise you'd leave me for her" Connor signed, looking at his red haired boyfriend with wide eyes
"Baby, it doesn't bother me that you don't speak, I love you just the way you are" Will signed, pushing himself forward so he was resting his head against Connor's forehead
"You promise?" Connor asked
"Yes, I promise" Will smiled, pulling Connor closer and allowing the smaller man to cuddle into his chest
