↔IMPULSE↔

↔Hospital↔

Gabe was sitting in his hospital bed watching a soccer game and eating a chocolate pudding cup when Archie came in.

"Hey, babe!" He smiled, Archie's pale face was startled by his cheerfulness.

Archie sat next to his bed in the chair, lacing their fingers together and resting his head in Gabe's lap. Gabe put down his pudding and stroked Archie's hair comfortingly, "how can you still be smiling?" Archie asked, his face turned away from Gabe, Gabe suspected it was to hide his tears.

Rubbing Archie's earlobe between his thumb and index finger, "what good will it do me to get upset?"

"But how can you—" his voice broke, "how can you act like you're okay?"

Gabe leant over and brushed away Archie's hair from his temple and kissed it. "Because I am okay."

He turned his face towards Gabe, his eyes were red and he sniffled, Archie hugged Gabe's waist, burying his face in Gabe's hospital gown. "You better be," sniffle, "what would I do without you?"

The teenager smiled softly and patted his head. Honestly, he was a little worried about his test results of the biopsy the next day, but he didn't want to upset anyone any more than they already were.

...

Archie spent the night with Gabriel in the hospital, his parents and Sandy went home. His sister had school the next day, but his parents came back with some toiletries and his pyjamas. At around noon, Gabriel was heading into an operating room for his biopsy.

The college student waited in Gabriel's room along with Mr and Mrs Escott. Mrs Escott looked so upset, Archie and his boyfriend's parents spent the entire time comforting each other with positive words.

When Gabriel came back he was conscious and chatting with the nurses that brought him in. The nurse laughed and smiled, "you are my most cheerful patient. I can't believe you're back in here."

Giving her a cute smile and a thumbs up, "positive vibes! I'll see you later, Nurse Emma!"

"Bye, Gabe."

Archie stared at him and thought, he looks just like usual. It was hard to imagine Gabriel sick when he got headaches and started throwing up, he never let Archie see him. Archie would visit him when he was asleep, he'd be pale and trembling. 

He forced a smile and took Gabriel's hand. Mrs Escott fussed over him and handed him his pyjamas to change into. The doctor dropped by, the results wouldn't be known for another couple of days, but he did say that he wanted to keep Gabe in the hospital under observation.

When Archie got up to get everyone tea, he overheard Gabriel's doctor talking to Nurse Emma. "—didn't even flinch. He just told me jokes throughout the biopsy and asked about my day. Escott is a fascinating person."

The nurse smiled, "I was his nurse when he got hit by a car too. He was like this too, when he came in on the ambulance he was telling his friend to calm down while smiling."

Archie listened in and was shocked but it all sounded so much like Gabriel. The doctor continued in almost awe, "I saw his X-rays, he would've been in tremendous pain."

"After every surgery, he'd wake up and smile like it was nothing."

Returning to the room, Gabriel was on the phone with his sister. "—fine, Sandy. I'll be back annoying at home in no time. Oh, Nikki's there? Hi, Nik! Yep, I'm A-okay. I'm surprised you haven't come over to take a video." He laughed, "Uh-huh, I'll see you soon, don't let Dory stress eat. He doesn't need to go up a weight class in wrestling. Bye-bye."