lostmyhead ( ✓ )

chapter six

Fingers brushing against his knuckles: that's what he felt first. Then, he felt the pressure of soft lips against his own. The lights were blinding him, causing his eyes to remain closed as he laced his fingers in his captor's soft hair.

"George-" Matty groaned, finally opening his eyes to find himself, yet again, in a hospital bed.

"Matty, you're awake!" George exclaimed happily, though the curly haired lad could see large tears forming in his brown eyes.

"Yeah." Matty mumbled, pulling George's face towards his to kiss him once more.

After a few moments of just kissing and holding hands, George let out a choked sob, finding that Matty's eyes had closed again.

"Why didn't you tell me about your head?" He whispered, not wanting to disturb the lad in case he'd fallen asleep again. A few moments later, Matty's eyes opened again, wincing once more at the fluorescent lights overhead.

"I was scared you'd freak out." He admits, sitting up on his elbows as he eyes the taller man carefully.

"Well, it's a bit late for that. I thought you'd died. Your pulse was so weak and I just- your head's all kinds of fucked up. I had to call your mum and tell her you were in the hospital, and she's the one who spilled the news to me. She thought I already knew." George states, thumbing across Matty's knuckles once more.

"G, I was gonna tell you. I just didn't know how or when. I wanted to let you know when I told you I loved you, but I was so caught up in the kisses and the skyline to focus on my own head." Matty admits, blushing. He stared at the IV plugged into his arm idly, wondering just why it was there. He'd just fallen asleep, right?

"You had a panic attack over a thunderstorm, and you never have those. Adrenaline was rushing everywhere in your body but your head. I was worried absolutely sick. I-" George froze, tears falling down his cheeks once more. "I thought I lost you."

"I'm not going anywhere, Georgie. At least not right now." And with that, Matty pulled the taller man into the bed with him - careful of the tubes and machine - and fell asleep cuddled beside him.

The whole while, George fretted on whether he should let Matty be sleeping right now. Was it a good idea for Matty to be lying down with his brain so damaged? God, he wished he knew what to do. He set his own mind to just focus on running his long fingers up and down Matty's spine, holding the smaller lad close when he felt in denial. He couldn't lose Matty, not yet.

~

When you're young and there's something terribly wrong with you, you're granted one wish to do anything you want before the sickness takes you, or you fight it. When you're an adult, you just have to suck it up and deal with it.

Matty wasn't good at dealing with it.

"Come here." His voice came in a whisper, and George just barely heard it. Slowly, the taller man walked to the older one and sat down on the edge of the bed. His eyes were bloodshot from tears, and Matty's were bloodshot from, well, blood. His nose had started bleeding again, and George quickly grabbed a tissue and began dabbing at it.

"I love you, Georgie." Matty whispered, carting his fingers through the taller lad's hair whenever he leant towards him to wipe at the blood, sweat, and tears - literally. Matty was feverish.

"I love you." George spoke, pecking Matty's tear-stained cheek. "You're gonna be okay. You're strong, Matty, you're gonna get through it."