forbidden • auston matthews

fourteen.

laying in the back of an ambulance on the way to the hospital in chicago, bella really was in excruciating pain. she didn't show it to the paramedics, but she was genuinely considering asking for amputation of her leg. however, considering her career, bella decided against that. instead, she spoke to the paramedic. 

"excuse me, do you happen to have some advil?" 

the man gave her a sympathetic look and responded, 

"the lightest pain medication we carry on the ambulance is morphine, but i can give you that if you'd like?"

bella weighed her options. either get high on morphine and feel no more pain, yet possibly make a fool of herself, or just endure the searing pain in her bones.

"that's okay, but thank you."

the rest of the ride was only filled with a few medical questions.

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bella was now set up in her own private room. bella wasn't in that much pain anymore, as they gave her a lighter pain medication. it merely dulled the pain, however, it was enough for her. 

as she lay in the plain white room, bella inhaled the sterile hospital air. her leg was propped in such a way that it doesn't hurt very much as she waits. shes not sure what she's waiting for, but she's waiting. as the minutes tick by, bella starts to re-evaluate her entire life. what the fuck is she doing? how does a 19-year-old girl from alberta end up in a hospital bed with a broken femur caused by an nhl game that she was playing in? why is that a thing? why did she ever think that she could compete with these grown men and not get seriously injured? who does she think she is?

interrupting bella's self-destructive thoughts, a boy in a mangled suit with wet hair rushes through the doorway. bella simply smiles, and auston smiles back. without words, auston comes over and engulfs bella in a tight yet gentle hug. he buries his face in her neck, which still smells like hockey from the game and whispers in her ear.

"never fucking scare me like that again." 

bella lets out a little laugh, and auston sits on the chair next to the bed. they talk about anything but hockey and what happened, auston trying to calm bella down and get her mind off the situation. that's another thing that makes their relationship so special. auston and bella care about each other in the most genuine way possible. they don't just care in the 'i want the best for you' kind of way. they care about each other in the way of doing whats best for the other person. sometimes that means love, support and comfort. and other times that may mean not talking to the other person for a day. sometimes it means doing things you don't necessarily want to do.

but auston would be more than happy to sit beside a hospital bed talking about how blockbuster should still be around if it means bella will be happy.

a little bit later, someone comes in with a backpack for auston. auston takes it and changes into comfy clothes, a pair of grey sweats and a leafs shirt. 

"you're really hot." bella says while staring at auston. he looks at her and smirks, his ears turning red. he lays down next to bella in the surprisingly roomy bed, getting under the cheap bedsheets that smell vaguely of hand sanitizer. they lay there in silence for a minute, auston's head resting on bella's shoulder.

"maybe i should just quit hockey." bella says abruptly. auston looks at bella with an unreadable look, and then lays his head back down.

"go to sleep, mi amor bello."

bella went to sleep.

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hospitals fuck her up damn